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The edentulous mandible fractures are rare representing less then 5% in the majority of series. Their treatment represents nevertheless a challenge. The bone atrophy that happens in this situation is related with the higher incidence of treatment complications demanding some special attention to the therapeutic options. In contrast with the dentulous mandibles, tension and compression zones are in close proximity, allowing the application of only one plate for the fracture treatment. It is preferable to use screws without pretapping, and the rule that the weaker the bone, the stronger the plate must be is used, associated with the cautious use of cancellous bone grafting whenever the atrophy is marked or some bone is missing. Only with these measures is possible to reduce.

The authors discuss the endoscopic techniques as an adjunctive in the evaluation and treatment of maxillo-facial fractures, particularly in the mandible, with special attention to the reduction and osteosynthesis near the condyle for those fractures with clear surgical indication. And also as a support in to the correct execution of the transbuccal techniques for treatment of body and angle fractures and in the repair of the orbital floor. The perspective of this work is the systematic search for quality, with diminution of iatrogenic effects and surgical risk, aims of modern surgery, even if with some technical difficulties and consumption of extra time, efforts.

Throughout most of recorded human history, facial fractures have received either no treatment what so ever or only rudimentary surgical attention. The treatment of facial fractures has made more progress over the past two decades than in the entire two millenia before that. The authors describe how facial fractures have been treated since the New Kingdom in Ancient Egypt until today, with the methods of Stable Internal Fixation.

The author looks at the conditions to accede a Plastic Surgery Residency and briefly notes the EC institutions devoted to the restructuring of training. Some recommendations in the field of curricular contents and about organization of teaching are pointed out, namely the efforts to establish a standard of Plastic Surgical Education and to raise a quality control system of Residency Programmes.