Citation

Brauner E, Laudoni F, Amelina G, Cantore M, Armida M, Bellizzi A, Pranno N, De Angelis F, Valentini V, Di Carlo S. J. Pers. Med. 2022; 12(6): e934.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/jpm12060934

PMID

35743719

Abstract

Maxillofacial ballistic trauma represents a devastating functional and aesthetic trauma. The extensive damage to soft and hard tissue is unpredictable, and because of the diversity and the complexity of these traumas, a systematic algorithm is essential. This study attempts to define the best management of maxillofacial ballistic injuries and to describe a standardized, surgical and prosthetic rehabilitation protocol from the first emergency stage up until the complete aesthetic and functional rehabilitation. In low-velocity ballistic injuries (bullet speed <600 m/s), the wound is usually less severe and not-fatal, and the management should be based on early and definitive surgery associated with reconstruction, followed by oral rehabilitation. High-velocity ballistic injuries (bullet speed >600 m/s) are associated with an extensive hard and soft tissue disruption, and the management should be based on a three-stage reconstructive algorithm: debridement and fixation, reconstruction, and final revision. Rehabilitating a patient with ballistic trauma is a multi-step challenging treatment procedure that requires a long time and a multidisciplinary team to ensure successful results. The prosthodontic treatment outcome is one of the most important parameters by which a patient measures the restoration of aesthetic, functional, and psychological deficits. This study is a retrospective review: twenty-two patients diagnosed with outcomes of ballistic traumas were identified from the department database, and eleven patients met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled.

Language: en

Keywords

dental rehabilitation; fixed implant-supported prosthesis; gunshot injuries; high-velocity ballistic wounds; low-velocity ballistic wounds; maxillofacial ballistic injuries; reconstructive surgery