Facial trauma causes tremendous pain, bleeding and loss of function. It can affect the upper and lower jaw, cheeks, nose, eyes, and forehead. Facial structures are delicate and require immediate treatment to minimise the long-term effects of these injuries.
What are the causes of facial trauma?
The most common cause of facial trauma is a vehicular accident. The other less common causes include:
- Falls or slipping injuries
- Accidents during playing sports
- Burns
- Physical or domestic violence
- Industrial accidents
What are the symptoms of facial trauma?
Symptoms of facial trauma include:
- Pain, bruising, and bleeding from the site of injuries.
- Swelling or discolouration of the skin around the eyes
- Blurring or double vision
- Facial structure deformity due to fractures
- Missing, broken or chipped teeth
- Breathing difficulties – a nasal cavity or septal injury
When to consult a doctor for facial trauma?
If you sustain facial trauma, seek the best dental specialist near you immediately to understand the severity. Difficulty with chewing, speaking or opening your mouth requires prompt medical care.
Who can treat facial trauma?
Facial traumas need a multi-disciplinary approach as there may be several structures that can get injured.
- Oral maxillofacial surgeon– fractures of the upper or the lower jaw, cheekbones, teeth
- Periodontist– Missing or damaged teeth need specialised care for replacement and dental implants
- Ophthalmologist– injuries of the eye and the surrounding socket bone
- Neurologist– trauma to the forehead will need neurological evaluation to rule out any brain injury.
- Plastic and reconstructive surgeonto improve your appearance in case of facial structure damage.
What is the treatment for facial trauma?
If you get a facial injury, seek immediate attention. Often facial injuries tend to bleed excessively; restricting blood loss is an important step. Nasal cavity injury can also block the airway and need clearance. Once you receive immediate care, the focus is on diagnosing other injuries.
The treatment for facial trauma aims at
- Optimising the normal function
- Restore appearance
You might require dental bone grafts and implants to replace the missing or damaged teeth. For fractures of the facial bones, you may also require corrective surgeries to allow healing.
What are the possible complications of facial trauma?
Complications of facial trauma vary based on the type of trauma you sustain. Often you may experience the following:
- Excessive bleeding and bruising
- Infection of the wounds
- Damage to the facial structure
- Visual impairment like blurring
- Difficulty in chewing and speech
Conclusion/Concluding paragraph
Facial trauma is a severe condition and requires comprehensive treatment. Depending on the type of injury and its extent, your doctors will prescribe you treatment. Consult the best dental clinic near you if you have difficulty chewing, swallowing or speaking due to missing or damaged teeth following facial trauma.
Request an appointment at Apollo Dental Clinic – Gurgaon Call 1800 1020 288 to book an appointment OR click on this link
If you get facial trauma, visit your dentist since immediate treatment may preserve your teeth.
Depending on the type of facial trauma, you may require 1-3 months to recover.
The most common facial injury is facial bone fractures and damage to the teeth.
