Pediatric Mandibular Fracture Management: Intraoperative Thermoplastic Splint Fabrication and Circummandibular Wires, without Maxillomandibular Fixation

Management of mandibular fractures often involves the use of maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) to attain immobility of the fractured segments. This can be used as a primary treatment modality or as an adjunct in fracture management. This technique, however, has its drawbacks due to the great burden of care imposed on patients. In the following case, fixation of a pediatric open mandibular body fracture was attained without the use of MMF, and bone union was achieved. Due to age, safety concerns, long-distance travel, and parent's preference, the routine management of this type of fracture with MMF using piriform aperture drop wires and circummandibular wires was not done. Instead, the fracture was reduced, and an intraoral mandibular impression was taken in the operating room, which was used to create a stone model. A 2-mm acrylic splint was designed and fabricated from the stone model, and two circummandibular wires were placed. The wires were tightened over the acrylic splint to achieve stabilization of the mandibular reduction. At 4 weeks postoperatively, the splint was removed, and the patient was maintained on a soft diet. At 6 weeks, bone union was appreciated clinically by immobility of the mandibular segments, and the patient was advanced to a regular diet. Occlusion was corrected to premorbid state by clinical findings and 6 months postoperative imaging. This technique represents an effective approach in managing pediatric mandibular fractures when MMF cannot be used.