Facial fractures can affect the way teeth function. If teeth do not fit as they did before the injury, patients can have problems with jaw pain, eating, and potentially asymmetry of the jaw.
Facial fractures can affect the way the eyes look and function. The eye sits inside the bony orbit. Any fracture to the orbit has the potential to change the way the eye is able to see and the position of the eye inside the orbit. If the eyes are not aligned, patients may have double vision. Facial fractures can affect the way the nose looks and functions. In addition to the aesthetic appearance of the nose, the nose is an important factor in breathing. Trauma can change a patient’s ability to breathe properly.
Facial fractures can involve the bones that surround the brain. The consequences of these cranial bone fractures can be devastating with a range of possible problems. The skull is designed in a very particular manner to protect the brain. Any injury to these bones has the risk of causing serious problems to the underlying brain.
Suboptimally treated fractures are often more difficult and may have a higher risk of complications.
Some traumatic injuries do not require emergent intervention. However, some traumatic injuries should be treated as soon as possible.
