How We Treat a Dislocated Jaw

Posted on 5/29/2020 by Pacific Oral and Facial Surgery Center

You may have seen it happen on television, but that does not always tell the whole story of how we treat a dislocated jaw. The types of treatment depend on the severity of the dislocation. It can require a combination of treatments and medications and can also require you to do certain things as you recover. These are the steps for treating a dislocated jaw.

Broken and Dislocated Jaws are Different

Many confuse a broken jaw with a dislocated aw. A broken jaw is when there is some type of fracture of the bone tissue of the jaw. A dislocated jaw occurs when the mandible becomes detached from one or both temporomandibular joints that connect the jaw to the skull. Like a broken jaw, there are different degrees of dislocation. It is also possible to suffer from both a broken and dislocated jaw at the same time. Treatment will depend on the severity of the injury and the type of dislocation involved.

Treating the Dislocation

Treatment for a dislocation involves putting the jaw back to the proper alignment. The most common way to do this is by manually putting the jaw back into place. We will place our thumbs ion the lower back teeth in the mouth. We will put the rest of the fingers underneath the jaw on the outside of the mouth and manipulate the jaw back into place.
Once the jaw is back in place, treatment involves giving the jaw time to heal so it does not become dislocated again. The simplest way to do this is by avoiding things that can lead to opening the mouth wide and putting stress on the joints. Not yawning or yelling are two of the activities to avoid. A Barton bandage can help restrict the movement of the jaw while also providing support during the healing process.
When the jaw does not go easily back into place, medications can help relax the muscles and make it easier to manipulate the jaw. In the most severe cases, surgery is necessary to put the jaw back into place. Call us for more information on dislocated jaws today.

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The surgical specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery requires up to six additional years of hospital based surgical and anesthesia training beyond dental school.

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Dental Blog | Livermore & Tracy CA | Michael Beckley DDS
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Pacific Oral and Facial Surgery Center, 1133 E Stanley Blvd #215, Livermore, CA 94550 / 925-290-7727 / pacificofs.com / 10/11/2024 / Page Terms:oral surgeon Livermore /