FACIAL INJURIES / FACIAL BONE FRACTURE
Facial injuries can occur due to road traffic accident (RTA), domestic violence , sports injury, self –fall, assault etc. It involves skin , soft tissue and bone either individually or involving more than two bones. We can close skin laceration by simple sutures and thereby obtain good aesthetic. Whereas bone fracture including simple to complicated pan facial fracture also can be treated with perfection.
Among the facial skeletal naso-ethmoidal complex fixation is challenging which needs proper investigation and treatment. With respect to orbital bone fracture very good reduction of fracture and proper fixation produces good vision and function. It is important to fix Joint fracture (Temporomandibular Joint) to restore proper chewing and achieve good cosmosis.
Most common causes of facial injuries:
- Sports or recreational activities, such as basketball, football, or martial arts.
- Work-related accidents
- Accidents at home
- Road Traffic Accident
- Fights
In children, most facial injuries occur during sports or falls. Minor injuries can be treated at home. Usually, the injuries in young children tend to be less severe because their bones are more flexible.
Types of injuries
Facial injuries may be caused by a direct hit, penetrating injury, or fall. Pain may be severe. Usually bruising and swelling may develop soon after the injury. Acute injuries include:
- A cut to your face or inside your mouth. This is a common occurrence even with even a minor injury. It usually happens when a jaw or facial bone is broken. The bone may penetrate through the skin or poke into the mouth.
- Bruises from a rupture of small blood vessels under the skin.
- Broken bones, such as a fractured cheekbone or jawbone.
- A dislocated jaw, which usually occurs when the lower jawbone (mandible) is pulled apart from one or both of the joints connecting it to the base of the skull at the temporomandibular (TM) joints.
Treatment
Treatment for a facial injury may include emergency first aid response and in some cases surgery. It depends on:
- The location, type, and severity of the injury.
- When the injury occurred.
- Age, health condition.
When you have had a facial injury, it is also important to look for signs of other injuries, such as a spinal injury, head injury, or any injury to the mouth.