Management of facial trauma in children

In today's fast-paced society, many children sustain severe maxillofacial injuries that require surgical reconstruction. The factor that differentiates the treatment of pediatric facial fractures from those of adults is facial growth. Anticipation of mandibular growth facilitates repair because most injuries can be treated with intermaxillary fixation. Midfacial injuries, on the other hand, may be more sensitive to alterations of facial growth, and complex cases require more sophisticated correction. The techniques of three-dimensional reconstruction of complex facial fractures has been facilitated greatly by the use of a rigid plating system, wide craniofacial exposure, and bone grafting. These techniques have sound theoretic and practical applications in severe pediatric facial trauma.