Rehabilitation in the treatment of mandibular condyle fractures

Abstract

Background. The objective of rehabilitation after the treatment of a mandibular condyle fracture is to retrieve the effortless, symmetrical opening of the jaws with the preservation of appropriate movements to the sides, and appropriate occlusion without a sense of tension in the mastication muscles or pain sensations. Objectives. The aim of the article was to establish the conditions of the rehabilitation of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) after the surgical treatment of a fractured condyle. Material and methods. The research featured 46 of patients treated surgically between January 2, 2017 and December 30, 2017. The open reduction and rigid internal fixation (ORIF) was the method mainly applied. Rehabilitation with the use of the Delphi technique was implemented in each patient. The assessment of the mastication organ was mostly performed at 3 and 6 weeks since the beginning of rehabilitation. In every patient, the interincisal distance was measured; in chosen cases, the range and trajectory of the condyle movements, and the trajectory of the secant point during jaw opening were defined with the use of the Zebris® JMA device. Results. In 45 patients, a full reposition and immobilization of 52 bone fragments of fractured mandibular condyles was obtained. The displacement of the midline of the mandible in occlusion or an incorrect occlusion contact determined the decision on the application of intermaxillary fixation in 8 patients for a period of 2 weeks. The minimal jaw opening of 40 mm was achieved in 41 patients after 6 weeks of rehabilitation. In 5 of the rest of the patients, rehabilitation had to be continued. The reassessment of the X-ray images and additional computed tomography (CT) diagnosis in three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction in those patients revealed the possible causes of difficulties in the restoration of the stomatognathic system functions - the injuries of the muscles or ligaments connected with the joint. Conclusions. The extension of radiological diagnostics with a CT examination may improve the assessment of the restored TMJ function after the surgical treatment of a fractured mandibular condyle.