Mandibular Reduction

The patient’s head is stabilized. The operator's thumbs are placed on the external oblique line of the mandible (lateral to the third molar area) or, after wrapping the thumbs in gauze, on the occlusal surface of the lower molars. The other fingers are curled under the mandible. The patient is asked to open wide, as if yawning, and the operator then applies downward force on the molars while applying upward force over the chin until the mandible reduces.