Facial injuries can occur any time or any place.  Examples include sports-related injuries that can occur during baseball, softball, football, basketball or soccer games.  More serious injuries occur with motor vehicle accidents, gunshot wounds or altercations.  Facial bone fractures, broken teeth, or lacerations can be the result of any of these examples.  Oral & maxillofacial surgeons such as Dr. Roberson are individuals specifically trained to deal with these injuries that include the mouth, face, and jaw.

Dental injuries may involve the teeth and/or the supporting bone.  Individual or multiple teeth may be broken or they may be knocked in or out.  Lacerations of the face, lips, gums or cheek lining are often present with dental injuries.  It is important to treat these injuries as soon as possible.

Facial bone fractures can include lower jaw, upper jaw, palate, cheekbones, eye socket or combinations of these bones.  Some of these injuries will involve hospitalization.  However, many facial injuries can be treated in the office.  Dr. Roberson has advanced training in surgery and anesthesia to treat these types of injuries in his office.

The treatment of facial fractures is the similar for any broken bone in the body.  The broken parts must be lined up and held in position to allow for healing.  This will require six weeks to allow for proper healing.  Fractures that tare extensive may require incisions to expose the bone along with a combination of wiring or plating techniques.  In the case of  a break of the upper of lower jaw, metal braces will be fastened to the teeth and wires will be used to hold the jaws together.  It is important to have your occlusion (bite) set properly by an oral & maxillofacial surgeon if the facial fracture involves the upper or lower jaw.  Titanium plates may be used to speed healing and allow opening and closing of the jaw while healing.  You will be prescribed a special diet while your jaws are wired together along with instructions specific to your fracture. After your jaws have healed, the metal braces and wires will be removed, usually in Dr. Roberson’s office under IV sedation.

If teeth have been lost or a bony defect has occurred due to the facial trauma, Dr. Roberson can offer reconstructive surgical techniques such as dental implants, jaw surgery, and/or bone grafts.  His goal is to restore your structures as close to normal form and function as possible prior to your trauma.  Facial injuries should not be taken lightly because they are in a critical area of the body.  If you have any questions about facial trauma or reconstruction, please contact our office.