Patent ID: 8357162

Claim:
A method of treating a fracture of a mandibular condyle of a mandible, said fracture having proximal and distal fragments and each fragment including an intramedullary canal, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing an intramedullary condyle implant having a threaded proximal end portion and a distal peg end portion; b) reaming the intramedullary canal of said proximal fragment of the condyle; c) screwing said threaded proximal end portion of the intramedullary condyle implant into the reamed intramedullary canal of said proximal fragment; d) disengaging a surgical instrument used to manipulate the intramedullary condyle implant from said implant; e) placing a retractor at the mandibular sigmoid notch adjacent said fracture of the mandibular condyle, and retracting said distal fragment; f) applying pressure at the angle part of said mandible to completely reduce the fracture and guide said distal peg end portion of the intramedullary condyle implant into the intramedullary canal of the distal portion of the mandibular condyle.