Application of IMF screws to assist internal rigid fixation of jaw fractures: our experiences of 168 cases.

Intermaxillary fixation (IMF) screws were first introduced to achieve IMF as a kind of bone borne appliance for jaw fractures in 1989. Because this method can overcome many disadvantages associated with tooth borne appliance, IMF screws have been popularly used for jaw fractures since then. From March 2011 to February 2014, we treated 168 cases with single or multiple jaw fractures by open reduction and a total of 705 IMF screws were intraoperatively applied in all the cases to achieve IMF and maintain dental occlusion as an adjuvant to open reduction.

A new model of blast injury from a spherical explosive and its special wound in the maxillofacial region.

Objective: The goal of this study was to establish an efficient explosive model with spherical explosives for the study of blast injury and its wound characteristics in the maxillofacial region.

Methods: Different spherical explosives were used to produce blast waves and to establish the wound model. Fresh sheep heads as the targets were used for the study of wound characteristics.