What Goes Into Fixing a Broken Jaw?

Posted on 8/30/2016 by Alyssa O'Steen

A man shocked and covering his face; because he's broken his jaw!

A broken jaw is a very common facial injury. Also known as a mandible fracture, a broken jaw is actually the 10th most common broken bone in the human body. Of bones in the body that are broken, only the nose is broken more frequently than the jaw. A fracture of the mandible is generally the result of a direct, blunt force trauma to the face.

It is not uncommon for a broken jaw to be confused with a dislocated jaw. A dislocated jaw means that the temporomandibular joint (where the jaw connects to the skull) is moved out of place. The symptoms of a dislocated jaw and a fractured jaw are very similar, but treatment is different.

Symptoms of a fractured jaw include:

•	Pain of the jaw or surrounding area
•	Your teeth may feel as though they do not fit together properly
•	The lower lip or jaw may feel numb due to nerve damage
•	Bruising or bleeding may occur inside or outside of the mouth

How to Fix a Broken Jaw

If you feel as though you might have broken your jaw, it is imperative that you seek medical treatment as soon as possible since breathing problems have been reported due to a broken jaw. Your medical professional will inspect the jaw for movement and stability. They then will proceed to perform a number of x-rays on the area to check for a fracture.

If the x-rays show a break in the jaw they will proceed with treatment. Stable fractures will be treated with pain medication to help manage associated pain and then the top and bottom jaw will be wired together to allow for proper healing. If the fracture is unstable the injury will likely require surgery to install plates, which will allow for proper functioning upon healing.

Please contact us if you have any questions about restoring your broken jaw.

Dr. Shillingburg and the amazing team at DFW Oral Surgeons are proud to provide exceptional care, including wisdom teeth removal, dental implants, and many other services to residents in and around Argyle, Bartonville, Highland Village, Lantana, Double Oak, South Denton, Denton County, and surrounding areas. Not only has Dr. Shillingburg won best Oral Surgeon of Denton County in 2017 and 2018. He has over 10 years of experience treating patients in his state-of-the-art outpatient surgery center in Flower Mound, TX.

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John C. Shillingburg, DDS

Certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Dr. John Shillingburg is proud to be a native Texan. After graduating from Texas A&M with a bachelor's degree in Biomedical Science and from the University of Texas Dental School in San Antonio with a doctorate degree in dental science, Dr. Shillingburg completed a general dentistry residency at Fort Carson in Colorado. Read more.

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