Conservative treatment of temporomandibular joint condylar fractures: A systematic review conducted according to PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions

Abstract

Objective: Fractures of the mandibular condyle are the most common jaw fractures. There are several treatment approaches. There is the non-surgical and surgical approach. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to evaluate the indications and contraindications of either method to help the clinician make the best treatment choice. Methods: Pubmed, Web of Science and Lilacs were systematically searched until 20 May 2023. Clinical trials were selected to compare the two treatments for condyle fracture and evaluate indications and contraindications. Results: Out of 2515 papers, four studies were included. The surgical approach allows faster functional recovery and decreases patient discomfort. The study analyses under what circumstances a surgical procedure is more practical than a non-surgical one. Conclusion: There is no evidence regarding the reliability of either method. Both have superimposable results. However, age, type of occlusion and other factors direct the clinician towards a surgical choice.