ABSTRACT
A zygomatic complex (ZMC) fracture is characterized by traumatic disarticulation of the zygomatic bone from the facial skeleton along four major sutures including the frontozygomatic, sphenozygomatic, zygomaticomaxillary, and zygomaticotemporal. A ZMC fracture is also often incorrectly referred to as a tripod fracture. This fracture is more accurately termed a tetrapod due to its separation from the facial skeleton along four (not three) suture lines. Any classification scheme must differentiate zygoma fractures that are isolated to one segment of the zygoma bone (e.g., zygomatic arch) from those involving disarticulation of the zygoma bone from the facial skeleton (tetrapod).
