Maxillofacial trauma is an injury to the face. Regardless of where the injury happens on the face, there is a high probability that the injury will not occur in isolation but rather spread to adjacent areas. Trauma usually causes physical injury to soft and hard tissues, which triggers an inflammatory response leading to pain and swelling.
During maxillofacial trauma, the injuries may extend towards the gums and teeth, causing bleeding and swelling of gums and, if severe, tooth loss. This article will discuss maxillofacial injuries, causes, and why you should see a dentist for treatment.
Common Causes of Maxillofacial Trauma
There are many ways you can end up with maxillofacial injuries. Still, it commonly tends to occur due to sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents, accidental falls, physical altercations, and work-related injuries.
Many patients with
oral and maxillofacial trauma got them through motor vehicle accidents. The main reason road accidents are a major contributor to maxillofacial trauma is the influx of motor vehicles, especially in urban areas where the population is significantly higher.
You can reduce the impact of motor vehicle-induced maxillofacial injuries by using safety equipment or features such as helmets and seatbelts.
People who play high-contact sports like hockey, football, and boxing have a higher chance of getting oral and maxillofacial trauma. We, therefore, recommend you wear the proper protective equipment such as a mouth guard, facial protection, and headgear when taking part in high-contact sports.
Some jobs pose greater risks than others. For example, people who do construction-related work or have industrial jobs may need to be cautious while working to avoid injuries. While working, ensure you have your masks, goggles, gloves, and other protective gear.
Types of Maxillofacial Injuries
- Soft Tissue Maxillofacial Injuries
Soft tissue injuries are the most common after an accident. You can easily tell when soft tissue injuries occur on the face because of the lacerations. Surgeons will do their best to repair your face while providing you with the best cosmetic results possible. A maxillofacial surgeon will carefully inspect your facial nerves,
salivary glands, and ducts to detect any more injuries that need repairing.
- Bone Maxillofacial Injuries
Bone injuries in the facial region are treated similarly to bone injuries in other regions. Your maxillofacial surgeon will consider factors such as the location of the fracture, the severity of the fracture, and your health condition to determine the best treatment for your injuries. Unlike bone fractures to other regions, which can be corrected through a cast, facial injuries will require a unique form of treatment.
Your doctor may use wires, plates, or screws to fix upper or lower jaw fractures. The use of small plates and screws is often preferred over wires since it was found to make healing for patients easier. For the best cosmetic results, your doctor will take the approach that needs the fewest cuts to be made on the face. If possible, the incisions will be tiny and made so that the scars left will be well hidden and, therefore, hard to notice.
- Dental Maxillofacial Injuries
This is the second most common type of injury apart from soft tissue injuries and requires a specialist to offer the best form of treatment. Fortunately, an oral surgeon can easily treat your injuries and restore all your displaced or missing teeth efficiently such that people won’t be able to tell if you previously had dental surgery.
If your tooth gets knocked out after an accident, do your best to preserve it by placing the tooth in a glass of milk or salt water. We recommend doing this as fast as possible as it significantly increases the chances of the tooth’s survival, so our
dentist in Munster can restore it. If restoration is impossible, we will recommend natural-looking artificial teeth replacement options.
Conclusion
The chances of ending up with facial injuries are high after an accident. However, if you talk all the necessary precautions to reduce the damage caused by trauma to the face, you can reduce the level of injuries in the maxillofacial region.
So, wear all safety gear correctly before working a job with high risks of accidents or engaging in high-contact sports like football and boxing. If you sustain dental injuries, visit Family Dental Care – Munster for treatment.
We have a highly skilled dentist equipped with modern dental equipment to make dental surgery safe and effective.
