Pediatric mandibular condyle fractures: A decade of experience

The mandibular condyle is a common site of facial fractures in children; however, it remains a clinical challenge due to its unique remodeling capacity and the ongoing debate over optimal treatment strategies. This study presents the clinical experience of a tertiary trauma center in Istanbul, Turkey, according to the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic's treatment guidelines. A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients treated between 2010 and 2020. Condylar fractures were evaluated in terms of clinical presentation, Helkimo index scores and radiological subtypes. A total of 60 patients (mean age: 9.55 years) with 75 mandibular condyle fractures were managed using closed treatment methods. All fractures healed with restitutional remodeling, with only a few complications affecting quality of life and 20 % of patients experiencing minor complications. The capacity for restitutional remodeling declined with age, particularly after around age 12. With increasing age, irregular healing patterns and higher complication rates became more common. Conservative management in this cohort resulted in favorable long-term functional and radiological outcomes across non-displaced, minimally displaced, and selected displaced fractures. These findings reflect the results achievable with conservative treatment in the pediatric population represented in this study. Further comparative studies are required to clarify treatment indications across different fracture types and age groups.