Broken jaw after a road accident: what to do

Road accidents are one of the usual causes of a broken lower jaw, along with falls, fights and sports injuries. Not every jaw fracture needs an operation, and the bone usually takes about six weeks to heal.

Go to hospital first if

A crash can injure more than the face. Go to the nearest hospital emergency department straight away if the injured person has difficulty breathing or swallowing, is unusually drowsy, is vomiting, or has problems with their vision. The jaw can be treated once these have been checked.

Signs the jaw may be broken

  • pain, swelling and bruising over the jaw or inside the mouth
  • bleeding from the mouth
  • teeth that no longer meet the way they did before
  • difficulty chewing
  • not being able to open the mouth fully, or to close it
  • numbness or a change in feeling in the gums, lower lip or chin
  • torn gums, or loose or broken teeth
  • swelling under the tongue

If a tooth has been knocked out, the first 30 minutes matter. Our traumatic injuries page explains how to pick it up, clean it and keep it moist on the way to the clinic.

How a broken jaw is treated

After an examination and X-rays, the treatment depends on where the jaw is broken, how many breaks there are and whether the pieces have moved out of line.

Some fractures need no operation. Resting the jaw and eating soft food for about six weeks is enough, as long as the jaw is protected from another knock for two to three months.

Many fractures are fixed with small titanium plates and screws. The surgeon usually reaches the bone through a cut inside the mouth, and occasionally a small cut on the skin is also needed, which leaves a small scar. This is normally done under general anaesthetic. The plates usually stay in for good, and they do not set off metal detectors at airports.

Some fractures are held with metal bars fixed to the teeth and elastic bands between the upper and lower teeth, for up to six weeks. Wiring the jaws shut was common in the past and is now needed only occasionally, for complicated fractures.

Recovery

The jaw takes about six weeks to heal, even when plates are holding it in place. During that time:

  • eat soft or liquid food, such as soup, dal, khichdi, mashed potato, curd and smoothies
  • brush your teeth after every meal with a small, soft toothbrush
  • from the day after surgery, rinse with warm salt water (a flat teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) three times a day for two weeks
  • do not smoke
  • avoid contact sports for six weeks

Swelling and bruising usually settle within two to three weeks. Numbness in the lower lip and chin is common, because the nerve that supplies them runs through the jaw. It often improves over several months, but in some people it is permanent.

People with office jobs often go back to work after about two weeks. A job with a risk of another knock to the face may need up to six weeks off.

At Beaut32

Jaw and face injuries at Beaut32 are seen by our oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr Anushri Bajaj (MDS). Call +91 70171 40563.

This article is general information. It does not replace an examination.

Sources