Abstract
Treatment for fractures of the jaw in infants takes place during growth and development, which is a process of continuous change; therefore, the treatment needs to be chosen carefully in consideration of the infant’s subsequent growth and development, including tooth eruption. Conservative treatment is chosen particularly often in the case of mandibular condylar fractures and it is important to avoid the subsequent development of dysfunction, such as temporomandibular joint （TMJ） ankylosis. Treatment must therefore take into account early recovery of oral function.
We encountered two infants with combined fractures of the bilateral mandibular condyle and the body of the mandible. To treat the fracture of the body of the mandible in the first infant, a 1-year-old boy, we performed circumferential wiring, whereas in the second infant, a 2-year-old girl, we performed open reduction using a titanium plate. Conservative treatment was provided to both infants to treat the mandibular condylar fracture.
Fractures of the jaw in infants are thought to have a strong tendency to be treated through bone remodeling which restores the jaw to its normal position or leads to functional healing. At 4 years after surgery, both infants showed correction of the positions of the glenoid fossa and the condyle without the development of any TMJ ankylosis. We plan to continue long-term follow-up of these infants.
