Soft tissue and bony injuries of the face and oral cavity constitute a large percentage of the trauma seen in most emergency departments (EDs). This trauma, although frequently a result of motor vehicle accidents, can also be caused by contact sports, industrial accidents, personal violence, and animal bites. An estimated 300,000 to 3,000,000 maxillofacial injuries occur each year secondary to motor vehicle accidents alone.<sup>8 Shepherd S.M., Lippe M.S. Maxillofacial trauma Emerg Med Clin North Am 1987 ;  5 : 371

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> The head and neck region is a highly vascularized area, with a resultant increase in bleeding, compared with other body areas, when traumatized. Maxillofacial injuries are highly visible and frightening to the patient and can cause the patient to focus on them to the exclusion of other more serious injuries. The healthcare professional must be aware of this when evaluating the injured patient. To manage initial evaluation and stabilization in a manner that does not compromise the eventual restoration of optimal function and appearance, one must be cognizant of anatomy, relative resistance of different structures to trauma, patterns of injury, and principles of repair of the complex structures of the face.<sup>8 Shepherd S.M., Lippe M.S. Maxillofacial trauma Emerg Med Clin North Am 1987 ;  5 : 371

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> This knowledge improves decisions concerning selection of an appropriate suture material and closure technique.