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Passive repositioning of maxillary fractures: an occasional impossibility without osteotomy
1Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9109, USA. edward.ellis@utsouthwestern.edu
Purpose:
To present cases where passive repositioning of maxillary fractures was not achievable during surgery, and a method to provide passive occlusal positioning in those cases.
Patients And Methods:
Over a 10-year period, the maxillae of 24 patients with fractures of the maxilla could not be passively repositioned during surgery. In these cases, a Le Fort I osteotomy was performed in addition to reduction and fixation of the other midfacial fractures.
Results:
All patients had passive restoration of their pretrauma occlusion during surgery. All patients except 1 had maintenance of their pretrauma occlusion at the last follow-up visit (6 weeks or more) following surgery.
Conclusion:
When passive positioning of the maxilla is not possible, a concomitant Le Fort I osteotomy can provide passive positioning of the occlusion.
