State of the art in the treatment of mandibular fractures caused by firearms: case report

ABSTRACT Injuries to the face represent a significant risk to the health of the individual, mainly because of its significance, both functional, because it houses sensory organs and part of the respiratory and digestive systems, as well as esthetic. In this scenario, gunshot wounds in this location cause great concern on account of the magnitude of the damage, and the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Traumatology team must act so that the treatment enables the rehabilitation of the patient in the shortest possible time, with a minimum of complications and sequelae. The objective of this study is to report a clinical case of a 19-year-old female patient with a comminuted fracture of the mandible body caused by a firearm projectile, treated immediately with stable internal fixation using the 2.00 mm plate-screw system for simplification of the fracture and a 2.4 mm reconstruction locking-plate on the bone gap. Relevant aspects of the surgical technique and tactics are reviewed and long-term follow-up of the patient is presented.