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Jaw - broken or dislocated

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Jaw - broken or dislocated

Definition:

Your jaw bone contains your lower teeth. This is the bone that moves up and down when you chew. When injured, it can break or move out of position.

Alternative Names:
Dislocated jaw; Fractured jaw; Broken jaw

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Considerations:

A broken or dislocated jaw usually heals completely after treatment. However, the jaw may become dislocated again in the future.

Complications may include:

• Airway blockage
• Bleeding
• Breathing blood or food into the lungs
• Infection of the jaw or face
• Recurrent dislocated jaw
• Jaw joint (TMJ ) pain and other problems
• Difficulty talking (temporary)
• Difficulty eating (temporary)
• Problems aligning the teeth

Causes:

A broken or dislocated jaw is a common facial injury. The jaw (also called the mandible) is the only mobile bone of the face. It holds the lower teeth. The term "upper jaw" refers to the immobile bone that extends from the upper teeth to the eyes.

The jaw is connected to the skull by a hinged joint located in front of the ears (temporomandibular joint). Strong muscles extend from the jaw to the skull.

A dislocated jaw occurs when the mandible is displaced from one or both of the temporomandibular joints. Fractures (breaks) in the jaw bone may occur at the site of injury and on the opposite side of the jaw. If the upper jaw bone is also fractured, the trauma may have been severe enough to involve multiple areas of the face, neck, and back.

The most common cause of a broken or dislocated jaw is a traumatic blow to the face. This may be the result of a motor vehicle accident, industrial accident, recreational or sports injury, assault, or other trauma.

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