Facial Trauma

What is facial trauma and how this can be treated?

Facial trauma, also called maxillofacial trauma, is any physical trauma to the face. Facial trauma can involve soft tissue injuries such as burns, lacerations and bruises, or fractures of the facial bones such as nasal fractures and fractures of the jaw, as well as trauma such as eye injuries.

What are facial fractures?

Facial fractures are broken bones anywhere on the face. This includes the nose, cheekbones, the area around the eyes, and the upper and lower jaw.

Most of the time, they’re due to some kind of trauma to the face, like motor vehicle crashes, sporting injuries, falls, or fights. Sometimes, they happen because the bones in the face are weakened by a dental procedure or condition.

What Are the Symptoms of a Facial Fracture?

It depends on which bones in the face are broken. Some things, like pain, swelling, and bruising, are symptoms of any broken bone. Here’s what you can expect to experience with the main types of facial fractures:

Broken nose (nasal fracture)

Pain
Swelling
Nosebleeds
Bruising around the nose
Difficulty breathing

Forehead fracture (frontal bone)

The forehead may appear inverted (pushed inward)
Pain around the sinuses
Injuries to the eyes

Broken cheekbone/upper jaw (zygomatic maxillary fracture)

Flatness of the cheek
Altered sensation underneath the eye on the affected side
Problems with eyesight
Pain with jaw movement

How are facial fractures treated?

This depends on your specific injury, how bad it is, and whether you have any other problems at the time. Your doctor’s goal will be to put the bones back into their natural position. This is called “reducing” the fracture. He’ll also want to keep the bones in place to prevent further injury. Doctors call this “fixing” the fracture.

You may need surgery. Or, your doctor may use plates, screws, wires, or other devices to repair your injury. He may also prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection.