At UKRMED Clinic in Kyiv, displaced fractures of the upper jaw are assessed by looking at the bite, CT findings and stability of the midface. When the maxilla has moved out of position, treatment may include fracture reduction followed by internal fixation with plates and screws.
After a strong facial impact, swelling can make the injury look simpler than it really is. The patient may notice something else first. The upper teeth no longer meet the lower ones in the usual way. One side touches earlier. The front of the midface feels less stable during chewing. Those changes can occur when a maxillary fracture has displaced the tooth-bearing part of the upper jaw.
The maxilla does more than hold the upper teeth. It forms a large part of the midface and connects with the nasal, zygomatic and orbital regions. If one part moves, the effect can be felt across the whole facial framework.
A patient may have obvious swelling, but the more useful clue is sometimes much smaller: the dental arches no longer fit together as they did before the injury.
That gives the surgeon an important reference. The aim is not simply to bring fracture lines closer together. The upper jaw also needs to return to a position that makes sense in relation to the lower jaw and the rest of the face.
Clinical examination shows how the bite behaves. CT shows why. A facial CT can reveal the number of fracture lines, the direction of displacement and whether the alveolar process, nasal area or other parts of the midface are involved.
Le Fort fractures may also appear in this region. Le Fort I, II and III describe different levels of midfacial fracture, but the label alone does not decide the operation. Two injuries with the same broad classification can differ in displacement, stability and associated fractures. That is why treatment planning is based on the actual geometry seen on the scan.
Reduction means returning displaced sections of the upper jaw to an anatomical and functional position. The bite is checked during this process because it gives a practical guide to where the tooth-bearing segment belongs. Facial contour and CT anatomy provide the rest of the picture.
A small positional error may not look dramatic during the swollen stage. Later, once the face has settled, the patient can still notice that the teeth meet too early on one side or that chewing feels uneven. So reduction is judged by function as well as bone alignment.
After the fragments are repositioned, they need enough stability to stay there. Metal osteosynthesis uses fixation plates and screws to support the reconstructed maxilla. The number and position of fixation points depend on the fracture pattern.
The hardware does not replace natural bone healing. Its job is to hold the fragments in the intended position while the fracture unites. This becomes especially useful when the injury crosses several supporting areas of the midface or when the bone remains mobile after reduction.
Not every maxillary fracture needs open surgery. A stable injury with little displacement and a preserved bite may be managed without internal plates. The situation changes when the upper jaw moves as a segment, the dental arches no longer meet properly, several fracture lines are present or the fragments cannot be kept reliably in position.
In that case, open reduction gives the surgeon direct access to the fracture. The fragments can be positioned, the bite checked and the reconstructed bone secured rather than relying on external stabilization alone.
Swelling and a softer diet are common during the early period. Chewing load is limited while the fracture gains stability. Oral hygiene also requires more attention when surgical incisions or fixation systems are close to the dental arch.
Follow-up is not just a wound check. The surgeon looks at the bite, maxillary stability and return of chewing function. Imaging may be repeated when the fracture pattern or recovery makes it useful.
Recovery time varies because a localized alveolar process fracture and a complex Le Fort injury are not the same problem.
At UKRMED in Kyiv, the treatment plan is based on examination and CT findings. Has the bite changed? Is the maxilla mobile? Where have the fragments moved? Are several parts of the midface involved?
Those answers help determine whether the injury can be managed conservatively or whether reduction with internal fixation is the more reliable option. A new bite problem, unusual movement of the upper jaw, facial deformation or pain during chewing after trauma are reasons to arrange a maxillofacial assessment.
It is the repositioning of displaced sections of the upper jaw. The surgeon uses the bite, facial anatomy and imaging to guide the final position.
No. Stable fractures with little displacement may be treated without open fixation. Surgery is considered when the jaw is unstable or the bite cannot be restored reliably.
It is internal fixation of repositioned bone fragments with plates and screws so the upper jaw remains stable during healing.
They are patterns of midfacial fracture classified at different anatomical levels. The treatment still depends on the actual displacement, stability and associated injuries.
There is no single timetable for every case. Recovery depends on the fracture pattern, fixation, general health and findings during follow-up.
A changed bite, mobility of the upper jaw, facial deformation, numbness or persistent pain after facial trauma should be assessed.
Thank you!
We will contact you to confirm your registration!
An error has occurred.
Please try again a little later
Thank you!
We will contact you to confirm your registration!
An error has occurred.
Please try again a little later
Thank you!
We will contact you to confirm your registration!
An error has occurred.
Please try again a little later
