Facial Trauma

Surgical treatment of facial injuries can vary greatly depending on the injury.  Some factors include the location of the fracture, severity of the fracture, the age, and general health of the patient. 

Injuries involving soft tissue, such as lacerations, are repaired by suturing. The doctor will provide this repair in a manner that yields optimal cosmetic results. They will carefully inspect for facial nerves, salivary ducts, and salivary glands.  

Facial injuries involving fractures in the bones cannot be treated by wearing a cast as other bones of the body can. Instead, the surgeon will utilize wiring, plates, and screws to fix bones in the correct placement for healing. Any incisions required to access these bones are designed to be small and in places where the scar can be hidden whenever possible.  

For injuries to the teeth, the patient should see a dentist or oral surgeon as soon as possible. Isolate injuries to the teeth are quite common and may require the expertise of various dental specialists. Oral surgeons usually are involved in treating fractures in the supporting bone or in replanting teeth that have been displaced or knocked out. If a tooth is knocked out, it should be placed in salt water or milk. The sooner a surgeon can re-insert a tooth into the dental socket, the better. This can be done by different methods of stabilizing the teeth to allow for the fusing process (osseointegration) of the tooth root to the jawbone to reoccur. Other dental specialists may be called upon such as Endodontists, who may be asked to perform root canal therapy, and/or restorative dentists who may need to rebuilt or repair fractured teeth. In cases where this isn’t possible, dental implants can be utilized to replace missing teeth.