| If you fracture your jaw you will damage the way | | | | each side of the fracture). In this case you are only |
| your teeth fit together. You will not be able to open | | | | immobilised for a few days. |
| your mouth wide and your jaw will shift to one side | | | | When is comes to unwiring your upper and lower |
| when you open or close your mouth. Most fractures | | | | jaws it can hurt with a pain that resembles having a |
| occur in your lower jaw, known as mandible. | | | | brace taken off. It takes about an hour to unwire as |
| Only the lower jaw bone moves. The two parts of | | | | the wires have to be cut and the bands pulled off. |
| the jaw bone are connected to the skull by a joint in | | | | You won’ be able to open your mouth very |
| front of the ears (temporomandibular joint). Strong | | | | wide for about the first week but this soon get |
| muscles run from the jaw to the skull. | | | | better as long as you don’t over do it. You |
| The jaw bone is the second most commonly broken | | | | should be able to eat normally after about two |
| bone after the nose. It is the largest bone in the | | | | months but you will experience soreness when you |
| lower part of the face. | | | | visit the dentist for a while after. You should make |
| Fractures of your upper jaw (maxilla) can have | | | | sure you visit your dentist after having your jaws |
| serious consequences. You may experience double | | | | unwired so that they can clean your teeth and |
| vision as muscles of your eye attach nearby. It may | | | | measure your bite as well as examining your mouth |
| cause numbness in your skin below the eye and | | | | alignment. |
| irregulation in your cheekbone. | | | | There several factors that can be the cause of a |
| A force that is strong enough to fracture your jaw | | | | fracture to your jaw, such as: |
| may also injury your spine at the neck. You could | | | | • Falling from height |
| suffer concussion or bleeding within your skull. | | | | • Road traffic accidents |
| Fractures to your jaw can also cause internal bleeding | | | | • A blow to the face |
| and/or airway obstruction. If you suspect that you | | | | • Sports injury |
| have fractured your jaw, you need to hold your jaw | | | | The healing time for a jaw fracture can take up to |
| in place, either with your hands or a bandage until | | | | several months meaning if you were involved in an |
| you receive medical help. | | | | accident that resulted in your jaw being fractured |
| Before you receive any treatment you will most likely | | | | you could be out of work for a long time whilst it |
| have an x-ray done to rule out spinal damage. The | | | | heals. By being out of work you are losing money, |
| treatment that you will receive is your upper and | | | | making your everyday expenses hard to cover. |
| lower jaws will be wired together and remain wired | | | | If you are suffering as a result of a fractured jaw |
| for up to six weeks to allow the bones to heal | | | | you could be entitled to compensation. After you |
| correctly. During this six week period you will only be | | | | have received medical treatment you should get in |
| able to drink liquids through a straw. However many | | | | touch with a personal injury solicitor and find out |
| fractures can be repaired surgically by inserting a | | | | about claiming compensation today. |
| plate (a piece of metal is screwed into the bone on | | | | |