Oral Surgery Procedures · Injury Care
Facial Trauma
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are specially trained to repair injuries to the face, mouth and jaws, from knocked-out teeth and cuts inside the mouth to fractures of the jaw, cheekbone and eye socket. Restoring the way the teeth fit together is central to that care, because your bite affects how you chew, speak and heal.
Call 911 for loss of consciousness or trouble breathing
Under 60 min best window to save a knocked-out tooth
About 6 weeks for a typical jaw fracture to heal
Types of Injuries
What facial trauma includes
Falls, sports, vehicle accidents and other blows to the face can affect soft tissue, bone and teeth, often at the same time.
Soft-Tissue Injuries
- Cuts to the lips, cheeks, tongue, gums and facial skin.
- Wounds are carefully cleaned and closed to support healing and limit scarring.
- Nearby nerves, salivary glands and ducts are checked and protected.
Facial Fractures
- Lower jaw (mandible), upper jaw (maxilla) and palate.
- Cheekbones (zygoma) and eye sockets (orbits).
- These can affect vision, breathing, speech, swallowing and chewing, and often require hospital care.
Dental Injuries
- Teeth knocked completely out (avulsed).
- Teeth pushed out of position, loosened or broken.
- Fractures of the bone that holds the teeth, which can change how your bite fits together.
How Fractures Are Treated
Line it up, hold it steady, let it heal
Facial fractures are treated on the same principles as a broken arm or leg: the pieces of bone are lined up (reduction) and held in place (fixation) long enough to heal.
Step 1
Evaluation & imaging
- An exam checks your bite, jaw movement and facial sensation.
- X-rays or a CT scan show the location and severity of any fracture.
- Care is coordinated with other specialists when there are other injuries.
Step 2
Repositioning (reduction)
- The bone segments are moved back into their proper position.
- Your bite is used as a guide so the teeth meet correctly.
- For complex fractures, incisions expose the bone, often from inside the mouth when possible.
Step 3
Stabilizing (fixation)
- Small plates and screws hold the bone in place.
- Or, braces or bars are attached to the teeth, and elastics or wires hold the jaws together.
- People missing many teeth may need a stronger reconstruction plate.
Step 4
Healing
- Uncomplicated jaw fractures typically heal in about six weeks.
- A liquid or blended diet is usually needed for four to six weeks.
- Follow-up visits confirm the bone has healed and the bite is correct.
Dental First Aid
If a permanent tooth is knocked out
Every minute counts. The living cells on the root begin drying out within minutes, and a tooth replanted within about an hour has the best chance of survival.
Do this right away
- Hold the tooth by the crown, the white chewing part. Never touch the root.
- If it’s dirty, rinse it briefly with milk, saline or saliva.
- If you can, gently place it back in the socket and bite on gauze or a clean cloth to hold it.
- See an oral surgeon or dentist immediately.
If it can’t go back in
- Store it in cold milk, a tooth-preservation kit, saliva or saline.
- Don’t store it in tap water or wrap it in tissue or cloth.
- Don’t scrub, scrape or let the tooth dry out.
- Baby teeth are not put back in. Still have the child seen promptly.
Preventing injuries
- Wear a mouth guard for contact sports and recreational activities.
- Use helmets and face masks where the sport calls for them.
- Always wear a seat belt, and use the right car seat for children.
Don’t Treat Any Facial Injury Lightly
Know when it’s an emergency
If the injury seems severe or you aren’t sure how serious it is, go to the nearest emergency room. After ER care, follow up with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
Call 911 if the person
- Is unconscious, disoriented, dizzy or nauseated.
- Has trouble breathing or swallowing.
- Has heavy bleeding that won’t stop with pressure.
- Is otherwise incapacitated. Don’t try to move them yourself.
Get prompt care for
- A bite that suddenly feels off, or teeth that don’t meet normally.
- Pain or difficulty opening and closing your mouth.
- Numbness of the cheek, lip or chin, or double vision.
- A knocked-out, loose or displaced tooth.
- A deep cut to the lip, tongue or face.
We’re Here to Help
Need care after a facial injury?
Whether you’re following up after an ER visit or have a dental injury that needs attention, contact our office to be seen.
This page describes how facial injuries are typically treated and is not a substitute for emergency or professional care. Treatment depends on the location and severity of each injury.
