Treating Facial Trauma

How an oral and maxillofacial surgery specialist approaches treatment of your facial trauma can determine your recovery and future outlook. When treatment is handled properly, patients feel comfortable and confident that they will not only regain full or partial of the impacted facial area but that their appearance will not be impacted in a negative way.

Learning how oral and maxillofacial surgeons, like Dr. Sedaros, approaches treatment of facial trauma and injuries can help you understand what to expect during your course of treatment.

What is Facial Trauma?

Facial trauma is a general term that is applied to any injury that occurs to the jaw, face, or mouth. It can be as minor as a small cut or laceration on the forehead or as serious as broken teeth and bone fractures.

The injury you incur is usually classified by doctors and medical staff a number of different ways. The injuries can be classified as bone fractures, which typically occur to the upper or lower jaw, eye sockets, and cheekbones, soft tissue injury which occurs to skin or gums, and special region injury.

Patients can get facial injuries or severe facial trauma a number of different ways. Facial trauma can occur from a car accident, serious illness, sports activity, accidental fall, or even a fight.  

Treatment for Facial Lacerations

A number of different treatment options exist for facial lacerations. The type of treatment used for your injuries will vary depending on the severity and depth of your laceration. Shallow or superficial lacerations can be treated with minor stitches or staples. More severe cuts and lacerations may require full reconstructive surgery to not only close up the wound but to fix any issues with your appearance.

Treatment for Fractures of Facial Bones

Treating facial bone fractures is a complex and time-consuming process. Not only do the bones need to be reset and repositioned, but your appearance needs to be maintained and full function of your face or jaw needs to be returned.

Some facial fractures may require a surgeon to make an incision to expose the broken bones. Once the broken bones are exposed, the surgeon can reposition them and use plating or wiring to hold the bones in place until they heal.

Lower and upper jaw fractures are some of the most complex injuries to treat. These types of injuries often require a hospital stay. Treatment of upper and lower jaw fractures often require wiring shut the jaw. This prevents the jaw from engaging in regular movements so it can properly heal. In some cases, additional rubber bands and wires may need to be placed to hold the jaw together and give the bones time to heal.

Treatment Options for Missing Teeth

Broken or missing teeth often occur at the same time as facial injuries or trauma. An oral surgeon can help create a customized treatment plan that addresses the loss of teeth. Some suggestions for treatment of missing teeth include caps or crowns, dentures, partial dentures, and dental implants. The type of treatment that is recommended will depend upon how many teeth are missing, the type of facial injury you experienced and the treatment used for that, and your overall oral health.

Exploring Treatment Options for Facial Trauma

It is difficult to determine exactly what type of treatment will work best for you, as there are so many different treatment options for facial trauma. Treatment can range from simple stitches to complex surgery.

The type of treatment that is recommended to you will vary depending upon the type of injury you incurred, the severity of the injury, your previous medical history, and other current medical problems. A facial and maxillofacial surgeon will discuss treatment options with you during a consultation. Consultations typically occur in the surgeon’s office, but can also occur in the hospital should your injuries force you to continue to be admitted to the hospital.

Patients seeking treatment for facial trauma can schedule a consultation with Dr. Sedaros. Dr. Sedaros is an experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeon who can successfully treat everything from missing teeth to facial lacerations and fractured jaws. Call his office today to schedule an appointment to discuss treatment options for your facial injuries.