The optimal approach to severe facial trauma following a horse’s kick
A 15-year-old girl was brought to the emergency department of a hospital by ambulance with extensive facial trauma following a horse’s kick. The considerable impact resulted in a combination of injuries to the bone, teeth and soft tissue. Following the transfer from the ambulance, the A&E physician immediately consulted an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Consequently, the patient could be brought to the operating theatre almost straight after stabilisation. There, the oral and maxillofacial surgeon first repositioned her teeth in anatomical position, followed by repositioning and fixation of the mandibular fracture. Next, the teeth in the upper front were stabilised with an acid-etch composite splint and the lip was reconstructed.