What causes trauma to face?
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Accidental fall from height
- Interpersonal assault
- Sports injuries
- Animal attacks
- Fire
- Earthquakes and other natural disasters
What are the types of Traumatic injuries to Face?
- Soft tissue injuries
- Tooth fractures
- Jaw bone fractures
What should be done in case of Traumatic injuries to Face?
- Bleeding: apply pressure to the area of bleeding using guaze piece or clean piece of cloth
- Rush to the nearby hospital
- Avulsed tooth/tooth which came out of supporting bone should be immediately placed in tooth preserving medium (hank’s balanced salt solution)/ cold milk/ in the patient’s mouth
- Rush to nearby dentist. Chances of successful reimplantation diminishes after two hour of trauma
Jaw Fracture
The jaw bones should be immobilized to avoid further pain and displacement. Patient should be rushed immediately to the nearby hospital give adequate care to prevent choking of the patient due to bone fragments or foreign material
What are the treatment options for facial trauma?
Soft tissue injuries
- Bruised and cuts are treated by suturing the wound after adequate cleaning with antiseptic solution and removal of foreign material. However, cuts caused due to dog or animal bite should not be sutured.
Tooth related injuries
- Avulsed tooth can be reimplanted and attached to adjacent tooth using appropriate materials like wires and dental cements.
- Broken or fractures tooth can be filled/ restored.
- Non vital tooth/ tooth with dead pulp should undergo root canal treatment.
Jaw Fractures
Jaw fractures can be treated by wiring the upper and lower jaw together and keeping the mouth closed for few weeks, this can be uncomfortable to the patient.
This can be avoided by putting plates in the jaw after placing the fracture pieces in the correct position. For this consultation with oral and maxillofacial surgeon is recommended.
Adequate care should be given to the patient in terms of hygiene and nutrition in the days following trauma.