Indications for primary shoulder prosthesis in displaced four-part fractures has decreased in recent years due to new techniques in fracture reconstruction using angle-stable plate osteosynthesis. The challenge of four-part fractures with an intact head fragment is the anatomic reconstruction and fixation of the tuberosities. Using a fracture prosthesis does not solve this problem. In complex head-split fractures arthroplasty is indicated, but the difficulty of tuberosity refixation and healing remains. New prosthetic designs improve tuberosity fixation and healing, as well as correct placement and orientation of the prosthesis. Anatomic fracture reconstruction should always be the goal and this goal should not be abandoned too easily.