What You Should Know About Broken Jaws

The jaw plays a crucial role in breathing, speaking, and eating.

This is because jaws play key roles in our daily lives, and any form of pain or damage to jaws affects these jobs.

Chronic jaw pain can be caused by many conditions, including teeth grinding, TMJ, periodontal disease, and sinus issues.

But there are also such unpleasant consequences as pain and damage, and a fractured jaw may indeed be a rather severe case.

Fractured jaws are not uncommon. They result from various traumas and violence.

At Bondi Dental, we not only take care of your teeth, but we can also take care of your jaw!

Causes of a Broken Jaw

The causes of a broken jaw are not surprising. The most common cause of a broken jaw is trauma to the face.

This may be due to:

• Assault
• Industrial accident
• Motor vehicle accident
• Recreational or sports injury
• Trips and falls

The jawbones run from your chin to the ear on either side of your face. In over half of broken jaws, the jaw fractures in two places (or more). The second fracture is usually at the jawbone’s end, close to the ear.

The second fracture is caused by impact travelling along the jaw to the relatively weak section of the jawbone just below the ear.

Symptoms of a Broken Jaw

The most immediate signs of a fractured jawbone are localised pain, swelling, and bleeding.

There may also be bleeding from the mouth, which can impair breathing.

Other signs of a broken jaw include difficulty and pain when chewing food or speaking, limited ability to move the jaw, a “frozen” jaw, numbness and bruising, and deformities or abnormalities in the appearance of the face.

Seeking Medical Care

While the most important thing is getting medical attention immediately, some precautions/treatments can be taken during transportation or before help arrives.

Stabilise the jaw, but DO NOT attempt to set or move it yourself. Hold the jaw in place with your hands, or use a bandage wrapped under the jaw and over the top of the head.

Do not wrap the bandage too tightly, as a broken jaw can cause the urge to throw up.

• Keeping the jaw stabilised helps prevent further injury until reaching the emergency room.
• If a bandage is unavailable, try using a necktie, scarf, or handkerchief.

Apply cold compresses. Cold compresses can reduce swelling. Apply the cold compress for 15 – 20 minutes at a time. If the compress is ice, wrap it in a towel to prevent frostbite.

• Place the compress lightly on the jaw. Excessive pressure can cause more pain and damage.
• If you don’t have an ice pack or compress, use a bag of frozen vegetables, like peas or corn.

Allow blood to leave the mouth. If there is bleeding in the mouth, let the blood leave the mouth. Swallowing blood can lead to choking.

Treatment of a Broken Jaw

The treatment of a broken jaw depends on the severity of the case. In some lucky cases, fractures can be treated with a soft diet and pain control.

Some patients will have their teeth wired together to ensure a jawbone return to health. In some cases, the break will require a plate with screws to hold the plate in place to reapproximate the original bone.

Only a doctor can tell what treatment is needed.

Aftercare

A simple fractured jaw usually heals in six to eight weeks, but healing time depends on the severity of the original break.

If you break your jaw, be prepared to purchase a blender if you don’t already have one—you will most likely be on a soft-food diet.

If you have any concerns or questions or need advice post-surgery, don’t hesitate to contact us! We’re always glad to assist our patients in achieving maximal recovery.

Protecting Yourself and Loved Ones from Broken Jaws

The best strategies are to drive safely, wear a seatbelt, be wise, and avoid choosing friends who like to fight. If you have children or elders in the house, fall-proof it.

For athletes, there is one more step—get a custom-designed mouthguard to protect your teeth, soft tissues, and jaw.

Jaw Health in Bondi

Don’t wait if you’re experiencing jaw pain, suspect a fractured jaw, or have questions about protecting your jaw health.

Bondi Dental is an exceptionally skilled dental professional with more than 60 years of combined experience in all fields of dentistry.

We provide high-quality dental preventative, restorative, and cosmetic services for all regional patients.

Call your Bondi dentist on (02) 9365 7187 or request your appointment online.

Visit us at 134 Curlewis St in Bondi Beach.