Late treatment of a mandibular gunshot wound.

Mandibular gunshot injuries are esthetically and functionally devastating, causing comminuted fractures and adjacent tissue destruction depending on the weapon gauge, projectile shape, impact kinetic energy, and density of the injured structures. If the mandibular fracture is not adequate or promptly treated, the broken fragments will fail to heal. In case of a treatment delay, progressive bone loss and fracture contracture will require a customized approach, which includes open reduction, removal of fibrous tissue between the bony stumps, and fixation of the fracture with a reconstruction plate and autogenous graft.