Facial Injuries
Livermore, CA
 A facial injury often called facial trauma, is any type of injury that affects your face and your mouth. This includes injuries to your soft tissues, your facial bones, and your teeth. When facial injuries occur, it is imperative that you seek treatment right away, even if the injury does not seem all that serious at the time. Pacific Oral & Facial Surgery Center can help.
Causes of Facial Injuries
Facial injuries can be caused by many different issues. Common causes include
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Car accidents.
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A fall, such as downstairs, from a ladder, or slipping on ice.
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A sports injury, such as colliding with another player or being hit with a ball or other piece of equipment.
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A physical fight. |
Different Types of Facial Injuries
There are many different types of facial injuries, which range from mild to severe. Even if the injuries do not seem all that serious at the time they are sustained, it is still important that you have an examination. Seemingly minor issues can worsen over time, causing serious issues later. Types of facial injuries include
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Soft tissue injuries. In addition to impacting facial aesthetics, soft tissue injuries can impact nerves, salivary glands, and salivary ducts. These include such things as lacerations and burns.
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Bone injuries, including those to your jawbone, nose, cheekbones, eye sockets, and forehead.
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Tooth injuries. |
Why is Treatment Important?
Facial injuries need to be treated for several different reasons. One of the more obvious reasons for addressing facial injuries is the aesthetic complications they cause. Depending on the location and severity of the injuries, important functions like breathing, speaking, and swallowing can be affected. Ignoring facial injuries can lead to issues worsening over time. Even seemingly minor issues can lead to serious complications, including loss of functionality and bite irregularities.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries include those that affect the soft tissues of your face as well as your intraoral tissues. The soft tissues contain blood vessels and nerves. Certain areas also contain salivary glands and ducts. Injuries to your soft tissues not only impact your appearance, but they can also affect the functioning of nerves and your salivary system. Repairing soft tissue injuries quickly is essential for restoring the functionality of your blood vessels, nerves, and salivary system while also restoring the aesthetics of your face and minimizing scarring.
Bone Injuries
Just like injuries to any other bone in your body, facial bones need to be set following fractures or other injuries. However, injuries to facial bones cannot be set with a cast. Instead, there are a couple of other ways these injuries may be set to allow the bones to heal properly. One way is with wire. Wiring is common with a fractured jaw. The jaw is wired closed to prevent movement, allowing the bones to heal. The biggest disadvantage, however, is that you cannot use your jaw at all. Another way to set facial bones is with plates and screws. When used for jaw fractures, you maintain functionality of your jaw while you heal. With this treatment, however, the plates and screws are often left in permanently.
Tooth Injuries
Tooth injuries often accompany facial injuries. These types of injuries include chipped and cracked teeth, partially dislodged teeth, or tooth avulsion. Chipped or cracked teeth can often be treated with crowns. If the damage is beyond repair, however, they may need to be extracted and replaced. Partially dislodged teeth can be set back into place and secured with a splint.
If you have suffered tooth loss as a result of a facial injury, it may be possible to replant the tooth. After the tooth has been located, it should be cleaned under running water and stored in milk or salt water. If the tooth can be replanted, it is set back into place in the socket and secured with a splint. If the tooth cannot be replanted, we can go over your options for replacement.
Even if a facial injury does not seem to be serious when it first occurs, it is essential that you seek care to ensure that there are no major issues that might show up later. If you have suffered a facial injury, call Pacific Oral & Facial Surgery Center at 925-290-7727 today.
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Livermore: 925-290-7727
