Mouth opening after release of maxillomandibular fixation in fracture patients

Three hundred eleven patients with mandibular fractures were studied prospectively to ascertain the influence of jaw immobilization on mouth opening. Maxillomandibular fixation caused a significant reduction in mouth opening whereas open reduction did not. Furthermore, there appeared to be a relationship between the duration of immobilization and the degree of reduction of mouth opening such that the shorter the duration of fixation, the less the reduction.