Operative use of a vacuum-formed splint in the reduction of displaced mandibular fractures.

e report a simple and effective way of reducing a rossly-displaced, bilaterally-fractured mandible with a acuum-formed thermoplastic splint. This allowed simple nd precise reduction and enabled plating of the fracture sites xtraorally. The use of the dental occlusion as a guide is one of the most asic concepts in the management of mandibular fractures, nd operative maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) is vital to he surgeon during reduction and immobilisation. Methods nclude MMF with cortical bone screws,1 arch bars,2,3 and hermoforming plates.4 Severely displaced mandibular fractures can be difficult to educe effectively, particularly in patients with several fracures and missing teeth, with or without poor periodontal ealth, and options for MMF are limited. Lloyd et al5 described the management of a unilateral racture of the mandibular condyle with a vacuum-formed plint. We altered this and applied it to the operative MMF f a patient with a grossly displaced, bilateral mandibular racture. A 31-year-old woman was kicked in the face by a raceorse. She presented with grossly displaced fractures of er right mandibular angle and left mandibular parasymhysis. Her oral hygiene was poor, and she had acute lcerative gingivitis. Her medical history was not releant. An orthopantogram and posteroanterior mandibular radioraphs were taken followed by a computed tomogram with