Maxillofacial Fractures in Pediatric Patients: Dentoalveolar and Maxillofacial Fractures in Children

?The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.? Voltaire (1694-1778) Voltaire?s adage applies particularly well to the treatment of children. Their immense capacity of healing in the shortest possible time with a minimum of complications, the assistance that growth can give, and the inherent ability to adapt to new situations are quite different from what we see in adults. Children are not just little adults. Recognizing and responding to their anatomical differences is never more important than when caring for an injured kid. Some children occasionally sustain severe injuries of the face which requires appropriate therapy. The management of the pediatric patient with maxillofacial injury should take into consideration the differences in anatomy and physiology between children and adults, the presence of concomitant injury, the particular stage in growth and development (anatomic, physiologic, and psychological), and the specific injuries and anatomic sites that the injuries affect.