Bilateral Body of Mandible Fracture in an Oral Submucous Fibrosis Patient: Treatment Modifications

Abstract

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF or OSF) is a severely debilitating oral premalignant condition characterized by restricted mouth opening secondary to formation of fibrous bands due to deposition of collagen in the submucosal connective tissue and fibrosis of the lamina propria.1,2 In severe cases the oral opening is less than 15 mm and presents difficulty in oral hygiene care and dental care.3 Trismus and decreased laxity of buccal soft tissues make these patients poor candidates for any dental treatment and often present with multiple decayed teeth and periodontal problems. Fracture management in these patients is often challenging. The present case
reported with a bilateral compound fracture of mandible due to a road traffic accident. Open reduction and internal fixation was done. The trismus due to oral submucous fibrosis in the patient needed certain treatment modifications which have been reported. Online search for “jaw fracture management in oral submucous fibrosis patients” yielded no results. This paper thus seems to be the first account on the management of such patients in English literature