Approximately 22 million children are injured in the United States annually
. Children are uniquely susceptible to craniofacial trauma because of their
greater cranial-mass-to-body ratio. The pediatric population sustains 1% t
o 14.7% of all Facial fractures. The majority of these injuries are encount
ered by boys (53.7% - 80%) who are involved in motor vehicle accidents (up
to 80.2%). The incidence of other systemic injury concomitant to facial tra
uma is significant (10.4% - 88%). The management of the pediatric patient w
ith maxillofacial injury should take into consideration the differences in
anatomy and physiology between children and adults, the presence of concomi
tant injury, the particular stage in growth and development (anatomic, phys
iologic, and psychologic), and the specific injuries and anatomic sites tha
t the injuries affect. This comprehensive review, based on the last 25 year
s of the world's English-speaking surgical literature, presents current tho
ughts on the anatomic and physiologic differences between adults and childr
en, a synopsis of childhood growth and development, and an overview of stat
e-of-the-art management of the pediatric patient who has sustained maxillof
acial injury.