[A case report of treatment for complex dysfunction of occlusion and mastication due to a maxillary fracture]

A case report of a 39-year-old man complaining of complex dysfunction of occlusion and mastication is presented. The patient came to Iwate Medical University Hospital following urgent hospitalization and treatment at a local hospital after catching his head in a forklift. The patient consulted the Second Prosthetic Department with the purpose of occlusal examination in April, 1994 and he was diagnosed with a malunited maxillary fracture. Afterwards, surgical correction was performed, but complex dysfunction of occlusion and mastication remained. Fixed prosthesis treatment was then planned and a dental prosthesis was set in April, 2000. His prognosis has since remained favorable.

At the commencement of treatment, both surgery and orthodontic treatment were considered, but the patient desired early social rehabilitation. Therefore, a dental prosthesis was used to restore facial asymmetry and mandibular function.

Rehabilitation of occlusal function was achieved by using a dental prosthesis. This facilitated early social rehabilitation and helped improve the patient's quality of life. Since there have been few reports of cases in which a dental prosthesis was used to correct occlusal disharmony after surgical correction due to maxillary fracture, long-term follow-up will be needed for this patient in order to increase knowledge about treatment strategies for such cases.