Authors of section

Authors

Edward Ellis III, Warren Schubert

Executive Editors

Zein Gossous, Uzair Luqman, Rafael Cypriano, Peter Aquilina, Irfan Shah, Florian M Thieringer

General Editor

Daniel Buchbinder

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Maxillomandibular fixation (MMF)

1. General considerations

Maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) can be used either intraoperatively to establish the correct occlusion or as part of the postoperative management of the patient's injury. MMF may be accomplished with wires or training elastics depending on the patient’s overall treatment plan.

Caution: If MMF has to be maintained postoperatively, remove the throat pack or bring its end to the buccal side through the retromolar recess before tightening the MMF wires. This allows it to be removed at the end of the case.

Internal fixation techniques in dentate patients begin with re-establishing the occlusion, ensuring maintenance of pre-injury occlusal status. There are several techniques that provide maxillomandibular fixation (MMF). Many surgeons agree that the gold standard for establishing MMF is the use of arch bars. However, various methods of MMF can be used in specific clinical situations.

Standard MMF methods are:

There are other wire fixation methods such as Ivy loops, Gilmer wiring, Stout wiring, and Kazanjian buttons.

Teaching video

AO Teaching video on maxillomandibular fixation (MMF)

2. Protection from stick injuries

One pitfall when using arch bars is the risk of stick injuries. Passing the wires to secure the arch bar can result in a puncture or tear in the surgeon's glove and the possibility of disease transmission to the surgeon.

Universal infection control must be ensured for every patient, regardless of the disease status of the patient. Adequate protective barriers, as well as techniques, are essential to prevent stick injuries.

Adequate protective barriers

The use of double gloves provides a second protective barrier. The lower number of perforations in the inner gloves demonstrates the effectiveness of double gloving.

Change of gloves

Consider changing gloves in the following circumstances:

  • When the outer glove is torn
  • When wetting is seen beneath the outer glove
  • Every 120 minutes
  • After every arch

Techniques

The following techniques may help to prevent stick injuries:

  • Whenever possible, implement MMF in a surgical setting with an assistant
  • Handle sharps carefully
  • Try to use a “non-touch technique” with wires, grasping the wires with wire twisters only and not touching them with fingers
  • Always grasp loose ends at the tip to avoid leaving a wire tip “open”.
  • Discard cut wire pieces in a sharps container
Sharps container

3. Preparation

Check occlusion

Before inserting the arch bars, check the occlusion. There should be full interdigitation of the teeth with regular contacts.

Determine if there is a normal occlusion or a preexisting malocclusion before taking the patient to the operating room.

Check of occlusion

Adjust the shape

The prefabricated arch bar must be adjusted in length and contoured to fit the dental arch. The arch bar should not damage the gingiva.

The arch bar should be placed between the dental equator and the gingiva.

Adjusting shape of archbar

Trim the bar

The bar should be trimmed to allow ligation to as many teeth as possible. The bar should not extend past the most distal tooth or protrude into the gingiva as this will be a source of irritation to the patient.

Trimming the archbar

4. Bar position

Hooks are placed facing away from the occlusal surfaces and symmetrically in the upper and lower jaw to achieve properly directed forces on both bars when the patient is placed in MMF. This symmetry is essential for functional training with elastics.

Hook placement

5. Bar fixation

Ligature preparation

To fix the arch bar in place, prepare a ligature in the premolar region of each side. Ensure the wire ends do not damage the surrounding soft tissues.

Ligature preparation

Attaching the bar

Position the arch bar with one end of the wire above and the other end below it.

Secure the arch bar by twisting the circumdental wire using a wire needle driver.

Always twist the wire in a clockwise direction.

Attachment of archbar

Wire ends

Cut the wire with the wire cutter and turn the ends (rosettes) away from the gingiva to prevent damage.

Cutting of wire ends

Ensure the wire rosettes do not protrude away from the arch bar, as this will irritate the soft tissue.

Creation of rosettes

The photograph shows arch bars applied to the mandible and maxilla.

Archbars applied to both maxilla and mandible

6. Placement in MMF

The wire loop is placed over the arch bar's maxillary and mandibular hooks, and is tightened.

Application of wires

MMF is completed with wire fixation. At least three wires are required to provide stable fixation (a posterior wire loop on each side, and an anterior wire loop).

Final MMF

Elastics

Some surgeons prefer MMF with elastics for intraoperative management of the occlusion. Additionally, postoperative training elastics can be used to manage condylar fractures.

Application of elastics

7. Other methods

Ernst ligatures

Click here for a description of Ernst ligature application.

Ernst ligatures

Bone supported devices

Click here for a detailed description of bone-supported devices and their application.

91 X010 maxillomandibular fixation
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