[Recent developments in therapy of condylar fractures of the mandible]

Due to advances in surgical methods, such as miniplate and lag screw osteosynthesis, there is current discussion about the adequate therapy of condylar fractures. Regarding the insufficient outcome of conservative treatment confirmed by refined methods of functional diagnosis, there is a trend towards surgical therapy, at least in cases of condylar displacement out of the fossa. This trend was also prompted when surgeons learned that the condyle determines local growth but does not serve as a growth center of the mandible. Along with increased interest in temporomandibular function and surgical therapy of internal disorders, surgical therapy of traumatic soft tissue lesions was emphasized. This consequently led to surgical restoration of intraarticular fractures. Conservative treatment will nonetheless be sufficient in cases of minor displacement due to a higher ability of remodeling, even more so in children.