THE EDENTULOUS LE FORT FRACTURE

A retrospective review of 328 Le Fort fractures has identified 20 (6.1 %) of these fractures as edentulous. A review of treatment of the pati ents was conducted. Conservative (nonsurgical treatment methods) and c lassic open reductions produce aesthetic and functional results that l ead to posterior and oblique positioning of the maxillary occlusal seg ment in comminuted fractures. Attention to positioning the maxilla by relating it to the mandible through maxillomandibular fixation minimiz ed these deformities. Establishing maxillary-mandibular relationships in edentulous fractures, therefore, seems to have the same importance as establishing occlusion in dentulous patients as an important initia l step in the treatment of comminuted Le Fort fractures.