An epidemiological study of patterns of condylar fractures in children

: Thoren H, Iizuka T, Hallikainen D, Nurminen M, Lindqvist C

Publisher: CHURCHILL LIVINGSTONE

: 1997

: British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

: BRITISH JOURNAL OF ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

: BRIT J ORAL MAX SURG

: 35

: 5

: 306

: 311

: 6

: 0266-4356

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0266-4356(97)90401-0

Objective-To find out how the site and type of condylar fracture are affected by its aetiology and the age and sex of the patient. Design-Retrospective study. Setting-Tertiary referral centre, Finland. Material-Radiographs of 101 children (aged 15 years or less) with 119 condylar fractures. Main outcome measures-Site of fracture and degree of displacement. Results-A total of 26 of the 119 fractures were intracapsular (22%) and 93 (78%) extracapsular. Only among patients less than 6 years of age nas there a preponderance of intracapsular fractures (7/12 fractures in 10 patients, 58%). In the older children 78% (83/107) were in the condylar neck. There were few subcondylar fractures (5/119, 4%). Only 6 fractures were displaced (5%), Dislocation of the condyle from the glenoid fossa was common in all age groups. Conclusion-The site of condylar fracture is age related, but not associated with sex or aetiology.