Facial trauma

The modern management of fractures of the craniofacial skeleton involves the multidisciplinary approach. Technological advances in imaging have made accurate and detailed diagnosis possible in the early stages of treatment. Advances in resuscitation and anaesthesia have made it possible to perform corrective surgery in a well-planned safer setting. Wide exposure of the craniofacial skeleton enables a direct approach to fractures which can be reduced and secured with metallic plates and screw of ever-increasing elegance and sophistication. When necessary, primary bone grafting from multiple donor sites enables maximum restoration of function and form at the time of the first surgery. These principles apply to fractures of isolated bone of the face and skull and, most importantly, to those complex panfacial fractures.