Abstract
In recent years there have been many reports on studies related to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in orthodontic treatment, but an adequate system of diagnosis and treatment has yet to be established, and they often cause considerable difficulty clinically. The patient in this case report sustained generalized contusions, a cerebral concussion, a midline fracture of the mandibular corpus, and bilateral fractures of the condylar process of the mandible when he fell asleep while driving a car and collided with a truck. Because non-surgical reduction was impossible, mandibular condylectomy was performed, and when orthodontic treatment was attempted to improve the open bite that persisted as a sequela of the accident, the favorable results were obtained, as described below. 1. The open bite was corrected by the orthodontic treatment, and the impairment that remained as a sequela resolved. 2. The mandibular condyles were removed during surgical reduction, and the mouth opening disturbance, the TMJ pain, and the TMJ noise resolved. The patient was able to go about his everyday life unimpaired, with hardly any awareness of limitation of jaw movement, and this situation remained unchanged even after the orthodontic treatment was performed. (J. Oral Sci. 40, 1-8, 1998)
