Surgical versus non-surgical treatment of fractures of the articular process of the mandible.

In a clinical, radiographic and angiographic study, we reinvestigated 34 patients with dislocated fractures of the condylar neck. 20 of them had been treated by open reduction, 14 in a conservative-functional way. The clinical results were nearly equal in both groups. The instrumental registration and the X-ray findings showed considerable deviations in the joint physiology in the conservative group. 19 of 20 patients operated on showed near-anatomical reconstruction with good functional results.