An interesting case of gunshot injury to the temporomandibular joint.

The head and face are relatively common sites of gunshot injury, and the temporomandibular joint is often affected. These wounds usually produce major deformity and functional impairment, particularly when the temporomandibular joint is affected or when structures such as the facial nerve are damaged. Complications may include mandibular displacement at maximum mouth opening and in protrusion, limited mouth opening, limited lateral movement of the jaw, anterior open bite, and, more rarely, temporomandibular ankylosis. Projectiles that strike the mandible usually cause comminuted fractures; maxillary wounds, in turn, are most commonly perforating. The present report describes a case of gunshot injury in which the projectile lodged within the mandibular fossa but did not cause any fractures. Oral and maxillofacial trauma surgeons must be aware of the different types of gunshot injury, as they produce distinct patterns of tissue destruction due to projectile trajectory and release of kinetic energy into surrounding tissue.

Evaluation of the effects of the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on alveolar bone repair following extraction of impacted third molars: prospective study.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is rich in growth factors, target-specific polypeptides that play a role in cell proliferation and differentiation and can thus encourage wound repair. This study sought to assess the effects of PRP on new bone formation in a sample of 25 patients with clinical indications for extraction of all four impacted third molars with similar orientation, depth, and root morphology. Immediately after extraction, sockets on one side received PRP, whereas those on the other side (control) did not. Patients underwent 6 months of clinical and radiographic follow-up. Periapical radiographs were scanned and bone repair was assessed by image histogram analysis. The radiographic densities of the extraction sockets were compared to the densities of the distal surfaces of the adjacent teeth, with the difference between both serving to distinguish the PRP and control sides. Results showed that healing of PRP-treated sockets was significantly different from that of control sockets at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up, in mandibular and maxillary sockets alike. The results of this sample suggest that PRP provides a safe and effective means of speeding alveolar bone repair.

Use of orthodontic mini-implants for maxillomandibular fixation in mandibular fracture.

Orthodontic appliances for skeletal anchorage are becoming increasingly more common in clinical practice. Similarly, different terms such as mini-implants, microimplants, and miniscrews have been used. There is a wide array of appliances currently on the market, in different designs and sizes, diameters, degree of titanium purity, and surface treatment. These appliances have been used for a variety of indications, including tooth retraction, intrusion, and traction. This study aimed to report the clinical case of a 19-year-old patient with a fractured mandible and to propose a novel use of mini-implants: the perioperative placement of mini-implants as anchors for maxillomandibular fixation steel wire ligatures. We concluded that this appliance provides an effective maxillomandibular fixation in patients with mandibular fracture, with little increase in the cost of surgery.