With the introduction and large-scale use of rigid internal fixation the treatment of patients with mandibular fractures has changed significantly. There are clinical situations in which conservative treatment is effective and provides good healing by means of reduction, fixation and stabilization. This being so, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the closed treatment of mandibular fracture, examining clinical features such as occlusion, mouth opening, postoperative bone alignment, pain and bone mobility with a view to justifying this type of treatment for those patients with mandibular fractures. Thus, from January 2004 to January 2005, 41 patients were admitted to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Santo Antonio Hospital/OSID and treated for mandibular fractures by closed reduction with Erich’s bar for a period of 45 days. The results showed reestablishment of occlusion, reduction of the fracture and absence of bone mobility. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that the closed treatment is effective in treating mandibular fractures, but only when judiciously indicated.

Conflict of interest: None declared.