Does closed treatment of paediatric mandibular condyle fractures result in restitutional remodelling?

The treatment of paediatric mandibular condylar fracture (PMCF) is typically non-operative. The purpose of this study was to determine if non-operative management of PMCF results in a new condylar process of normal morphology to regenerate after closed treatment (restitutional remodelling). The specific aim of the study was to observe restitutional remodelling (RM) in PMCF and review the literature. The investigators designed and implemented a retrospective study on paediatric patients (age<12) with unilateral or bilateral condyle fractures treated with non-operative treatment between January 2005 and July 2015. Patients with complete records and at least 1-year follow-up were included in the study. Primary outcome variable was RM and secondary outcome variables were occlusion, maximal incisal opening (MIO), displacement, infection, facial asymmetry, and signs of temporomandibular joint ankylosis (TMJA). The study evaluated 41 patients {n=57 PMCF, (m:f-35:6)} of unilateral (n=25) and bilateral (n=16) PMCF. Fractured condyles remodelled to normal morphology in all the cases at follow-up. The Wilcoxon test revealed a statistically significant difference in MIO from the preoperative value to postoperative (p=0.001). Occlusion (except 1) was satisfactory in all cases, at follow-up with no gross facial asymmetry. There was no sign of infection at the surgical site (anterior mandible). None of the patients showed signs of TMJA at follow-up. The result of the present study demonstrates that RM of condylar fracture occurs with non-operative management. Non-operative management should be the point of care in PMCF, owing to the rapid RM, bone regeneration, and satisfactory outcome. Review of the literature also supports closed treatment.