Your jawbone keeps your teeth in place and helps you speak, chew and swallow. It consists of an upper jawbone (maxilla) and a lower jawbone (mandible).

You can move the lower jawbone forward, backward and sideways, but the upper jawbone doesn’t move. The jawbone is part of the skeletal system.

What is a broken or dislocated jaw?

Like other bones in the body, the jawbone can experience a fracture (broken bone). You can also dislocate the jawbone. A dislocation means the lower jawbone moves out of one of the two temporomandibular joints (TMJ) that connect the mandible to the skull.

Both conditions can cause pain and make it difficult or impossible to talk or eat. A dislocated or broken jaw can also affect breathing. These medical emergencies require prompt evaluation and treatment.

A fracture or dislocation most often affects the lower jawbone. Fractures can occur in the:

• Part that supports your teeth (body).
• Angle where your jaw curves.
• Knob-shaped joint at the top of the jawbone (condyle).
• Point where the two sides of the lower jawbone join (symphysis).

An upper jawbone fracture often happens along with other facial fractures like the cheekbone (zygomaticomaxillary or ZMC fracture) or eye socket (orbital fracture). Broken jaws are second to broken noses as the most common type of facial fracture.

What causes a broken jaw?

Most broken jaws are the result of:

• Accidents, including vehicle accidents, workplace accidents and falls.
• Assaults and trauma.
• Sports injuries or other injuries.

What causes a dislocated jaw?

People with TMJ disorders and conditions that cause loose tissues and joints (like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome) may be more likely to dislocate the jaw.

It’s also possible to dislocate a jaw while:

• Getting a dental procedure.
• Opening the mouth too wide.
• Vomiting.
• Yawning.

Jaw surgery is also called Orthognathic (or-thog-nath-ik) Surgery. Corrective jaw surgery is used to improve breathing problems and other functional problems that are common with a wide array of skeletal and dental irregularities.

This procedure is performed by a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS). Its goal is to improve oral function by adjusting the positions of the jaws and teeth. It can be used to help patients with misalignment of the upper and lower teeth that causes:

• Underbite
• Open bite
• Overbite

A board certified maxillofacial surgeon can perform various orthognathic procedures that realign the teeth and jaw bones, thereby enhancing their function. While jaw surgery is recommended for correcting problems with chewing, talking, and other day-to-day functions, it commonly results in improvements to facial appearance. Orthognathic surgery is not an outpatient procedure. It requires staying in a hospital or surgical facility for 3-4 days, the use of general anesthesia and several months to fully heal from.

Benefits of Jaw Surgery

Improving the alignment of the upper jaw, lower jaw, and chin with orthognathic surgery has various possible benefits depending on the problems being corrected. Some of these include:

• Balancing the appearance of features of the lower/middle face
• Improving overall jaw function
• Improving the alignment and function of the teeth
• Improving the ability to breathe, chew, and swallow
• Improving speech impediments
• Chronic mouth breathing
• Getting more restful sleep
• Improving facial appearance
• Improving self-confidence and self-esteem

Jaw surgery can help to improve various medical conditions as well, including temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, chronic jaw pain, headache, facial injury, dentofacial birth defects, obstructive sleep apnea, excessive wear from teeth grinding, facial asymmetry, and jaw closure disorders.

Dental Cysts Are Removed Surgically When They Are Located Deep In The Jawbone And Cannot Be Reached By A Simple Tooth Extraction. After A Thorough Examination And X-Rays, Your Dentist Will Decide Which Treatment Is Best For Your Particular Dental Cyst.  He/She May Decide To Remove It And The Affected Tooth. Alternatively, Marsupialisation May Be Used. This Is Where A Slit Is Made In The Cyst And The Slit Is Then Sutured Open So The Cyst Can Freely Drain Itself.

A Few Days Before The Dental Cyst Removal Procedure, The Dental Practice’s Dental Hygienist Will Perform A Thorough Cleaning And Polishing Of The Teeth.  An Oral Probiotic Is Often Given At This Time To Increase The Good Bacteria In The Saliva Which Will Help The Healing Process.

If A Root Canal Treatment Is Needed, This Procedure Is Usually Done Before The Dental Cyst Removal.  The Cyst Will Be Removed Under Local Anaesthetic. Many Dentists Offer The Opportunity Of Being Sedated Throughout The Whole Procedure.

It’s Quite Probable That The Dental Surgeon Will Also Remove The Tooth Associated With The Dental Cyst.  In Some Cases, Bone Graft Material May Be Used To Fill The Empty Space Left By The Cyst Removal. The Wound Site Will Then Be Closed With Sutures.

Frequently, The Tissue Which The Surgeon Removed Is Sent To A Path Lab To Ensure The Cyst Is A Cyst And Not A Tumour.

What Can I Expect For Recovery After Removal Of Cyst?

Patients Can Generally Expect To Go Home After They Recover From Anesthesia (The Medication That Put You Sleep During Surgery). In Some Cases, Patients May Need To Stay Overnight At The Hospital Depending On The Extent Of The Surgery. Doctors Usually Advise Taking Between 2 Days To 2 Weeks Off Before Returning To Work Or School. This Period May Be Shorter Or Longer Based On The Type Of Surgery You Had. It Takes At Least 6 Weeks For Initial Healing Of Your Jaw.

Physical Activity

You Can Resume Light Physical Exercise As Soon As You Feel Able Following Your Surgery. You Must Not Participate In Any Exercise Or Sports That May Involve Hitting Your Jaw. This Includes All Contact Sports. Do Not Clench Or Stress Your Jaw Muscles With Heavy Lifting More Than 10 Pounds.

Diet

For The First 2 Weeks After Surgery You Will Follow A Soft Diet. Nutritional Supplements Are Helpful. On Your 2-Week Follow-Up Appointment Doctors Will Explain What Type Of Diet You Will Transition To At That Time. This Depends Of The Type And Extent Of Surgery. After The Initial 2 Weeks, You May Use A Straw To Eat.

Pain Control

Your Doctor May Prescribe Anti-Inflammatory Or Opioid Pain Medications To Help Control Pain Or Discomfort Following Surgery.

 Swelling

Swelling Is A Normal Side-Effect Of Surgery But The Degree Varies Between Individuals. You Can Expect To Have The Most Swelling Between Days 3-5 After Your Surgery.

Scarring

Most Of This Type Of Surgery Is Carried Out Inside The Mouth, Which Means No Obvious Scars. In Some Cases, Very Small Incisions May Be Placed On The Outside Of Your Mouth On Your Face.

Prevention

It Is Imperative-Mandatory In Order To Prevent Cysts That You Maintain A High Level Of Oral Care And Wellness, And Visit Your Dentist Regularly For Exams And Cleanings. As Part Of Your Oral Due Diligence, If You Discover That Any Of Your Teeth Require Root Canal Therapy Due To Caries, Trauma Or Gum Disease, A Thorough Root Canal Process Will Be Required.

Keep In Mind Teeth That Remain Healthy, Rarely Have Cysts Developing Or Forming Around Or Close To Them.

Schedule Regular Checkups At Least Twice-Yearly To Help Identify Dental Cysts Early. Since The Cysts Are Usually Asymptomatic When They First Develop, You May Not Even Know One Is There Until Dentist Takes X-Rays. It Is Important To Work With Your Dentist To Treat The Dental Cyst As Early As Possible. This Will Help To Prevent Any Long-Term Effects And Preserve Your Dental Health.

• Makes an incision in the gum tissue to expose the tooth and bone
• Removes bone that blocks access to the tooth root
• Divides the tooth into sections if it’s easier to remove in pieces
• Removes the tooth
• Cleans the site of the removed tooth of any debris from the tooth or bone
• Stitches the wound closed to promote healing, though this isn’t always necessary
• Places gauze over the extraction site to control bleeding and to help a blood clot form

After the procedure

If you receive sedation anesthesia or general anesthesia, you’re taken to a recovery room after the procedure. If you have local anesthesia, your brief recovery time is likely in the dental chair.

As you heal from your surgery, follow your dentist’s instructions on:

• Bleeding. Some oozing of blood may occur the first day after wisdom tooth removal. Try to avoid excessive spitting so that you don’t dislodge the blood clot from the socket. Replace gauze over the extraction site as directed by your dentist or oral surgeon.
• Pain management. You may be able to manage pain with an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), or a prescription pain medication from your dentist or oral surgeon. Prescription pain medication may be especially helpful if bone has been removed during the procedure. Holding a cold pack against your jaw also may relieve pain.
• Swelling and bruising. Use an ice pack as directed by your dentist or surgeon. Any swelling of your cheeks usually improves in two or three days. Bruising may take several more days to resolve.
• Activity. After your surgery, plan to rest for the remainder of the day. Resume normal activities the next day, but for at least a week, avoid strenuous activity that might result in losing the blood clot from the socket.
• Beverages. Drink lots of water after the surgery. Don’t drink alcoholic, caffeinated, carbonated or hot beverages in the first 24 hours. Don’t drink with a straw for at least a week because the sucking action can dislodge the blood clot from the socket.
• Food. Eat only soft foods, such as yogurt or applesauce, for the first 24 hours. Start eating semisoft foods when you can tolerate them. Avoid hard, chewy, hot or spicy foods that might get stuck in the socket or irritate the wound.
• Cleaning your mouth. Don’t brush your teeth, rinse your mouth, spit or use mouthwash during the first 24 hours after surgery. Typically you’ll be told to resume brushing your teeth after the first 24 hours. Be particularly gentle near the surgical wound when brushing and gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water every two hours and after meals for a week.
• Tobacco use. If you smoke, don’t do so for at least 72 hours after surgery — and wait longer than that if possible. If you chew tobacco, don’t use it for at least a week. Using tobacco products after oral surgery can delay healing and increase the risk of complications.
• Stitches. You may have stitches that dissolve within a few weeks or no stitches at all. If your stitches need to be removed, schedule an appointment to have them taken out.

When to call your dentist or surgeon

Call your dentist or oral surgeon if you experience any of the following signs or symptoms, which could indicate an infection, nerve damage or other serious complication:

• Difficulty swallowing or breathing
• Excessive bleeding
• Fever
• Severe pain not relieved by prescribed pain medications
• Swelling that worsens after two or three days
• A bad taste in your mouth not removed with saltwater rinsing
• Pus in or oozing from the socket
• Persistent numbness or loss of feeling
• Blood or pus in nasal discharge

Results

You probably won’t need a follow-up appointment after a wisdom tooth extraction if:

• You don’t need stitches removed
• No complications arose during the procedure
• You don’t experience persistent problems, such as pain, swelling, numbness or bleeding — complications that might indicate infection, nerve damage or other problems

If your dentist recommends extracting your tooth, ask whether an endodontist can help save the tooth with root canal treatment. This procedure involves removing the injured pulp (soft inner tissue) of your tooth, then filling and sealing the space.

A dentist finishes the process by restoring your tooth with a crown or filling, enabling it to function as your natural teeth do, ensuring comfortable chewing and a natural appearance.

Endodontists can often save even the most severely injured teeth, so it pays to learn more about your treatment options. Do everything possible to save your teeth before considering extraction – always the last resort!

If an endodontic procedure can’t save your tooth and it must be extracted, you should consider a dental implant that will enable you to bite and chew properly, keep healthy teeth from shifting, and help you maintain a natural appearance. Carefully discuss your options for treatment with your dental team to ensure you pick the treatment that is best for your overall health.