Which Le Fort fracture describes craniofacial disjunction with the entire face separated from the skull?

• A. Le Fort I fracture
• B. Le Fort II fracture
• C. Le Fort III fracture
• D. Zygomaticomaxillary fracture

Answer: (C)

The question hinges on recognizing the level of the facial fracture associated with complete separation of the midface from the skull. This highest Le Fort pattern is the one that produces craniofacial disjunction, meaning the entire midface detaches from the cranial base. The fracture path goes through the orbital walls, nasal bones, and zygomatic arches, effectively isolating the midface as a unit from the skull.

The other patterns involve progressively less extensive breaks: a horizontal fracture above the teeth leaves the palate attached to the skull; a pyramidal fracture involves the maxilla and nasal region with orbital involvement but does not completely separate the midface; and a zygomaticomaxillary fracture is a localized break of the cheekbone area, not a full Le Fort pattern.