The jaw is the bony structure that surrounds your mouth and teeth and moves up and down when you chew. When injured, it can break or move out of position.

The upper jaw is called the maxilla; the lower jaw is called the mandible. Only the lower jaw bone moves. The two parts of the jaw bone are connected to the skull by a joint in front of the ears (temporomandibular joint). Strong muscles run from the jaw to the skull.

A broken or dislocated jaw is a common injury. A dislocated jaw means the lower part of the jaw has moved out of its normal position at one or both temporomandibular joints. A fractured jaw means there is a break in the jaw bone.

A broken or dislocated jaw usually heals completely after treatment. However, the jaw may become dislocated again in the future.

Complications may include:

• Airway blockage
• Bleeding
• Breathing blood or food into the lungs
• Infection of the jaw or face
• Recurrent dislocated jaw
• Jaw joint (TMJ) pain and other problems
• Difficulty talking (temporary)
• Difficulty eating (temporary)
• Problems aligning the teeth

The most common cause of a broken or dislocated jaw is injury to the face. This may be due to a motor vehicle accident, industrial accident, recreational or sports injury, assault, or other injury.

Symptoms of a dislocated jaw include:

• Pain in the face or jaw, located in front of the ear on the affected side, worse with movement
• Inability to close the mouth
• Drooling because of inability to close the mouth
• Difficulty speaking
• Jaw may protrude forward
• Teeth may not align normally
• Bite feels "off" or crooked

Symptoms of a fractured (broken) jaw include:

• Jaw tenderness or pain, worse with biting or chewing
• Jaw stiffness
• Difficulty opening the mouth widely
• Severe fracture limiting any movement of the jaw
• Lump or abnormal appearance of the cheek or jaw
• Numbness of the face (particularly the lower lip)
• Facial swelling
• Facial bruising
• Loose or damaged teeth
• Bleeding from the mouth

A broken or dislocated jaw requires immediate medical attention because of the risk of breathing problems or significant bleeding.

You should hold the jaw gently in place with your hands while traveling to the emergency room. A bandage may also be wrapped over the top of the head and under the jaw. However, such a bandage should be easily removable in case you need to vomit.

If breathing problems or heavy bleeding occurs, or if there is severe facial swelling, a tube may be placed into your airways to help you breathe.

DISLOCATED JAW

If the jaw is dislocated, the health care provider may be able to place it back into the correct position using the thumbs. Numbing medications (anesthetics) may be needed to relax the strong jaw muscles.

The jaw may need to be stabilized. This usually involves bandaging the jaw to keep the mouth from opening widely. In some cases, surgery may be needed to do this, particularly if repeated jaw dislocations occur.

After dislocating your jaw, you should not open your mouth widely for at least 6 weeks. You should support your jaw with one or both hands when yawning and sneezing.

FRACTURED JAW

Temporary bandaging the jaw (around the top of the head) to prevent it from moving may help reduce pain.

The specific treatment for a fractured jaw depends on how badly the bone is broken. If you have a minor fracture, you may only need pain medicines and to follow a soft or liquid diet for a while.

Surgery is often needed for moderate to severe fractures. The jaw may be wired to the teeth of the opposite jaw to improve stability. Jaw wires are usually left in place for 6 to 8 weeks. Small rubber bands (elastics) are used to hold the teeth together. After a few weeks of complete immobilization of the jaw, some of the elastics are removed to allow motion and reduce joint stiffness.

If the jaw is wired, only liquid or very soft foods can be eaten. Blunt scissors should be readily available to cut the elastics in the event of vomiting or choking. If the wires must be cut, consult a health care provider promptly so they can be replaced.

DO NOT attempt to correct the position of the jaw.

A broken or dislocated jaw requires immediate medical attention. Emergency symptoms include difficulty breathing or heavy bleeding.

Safe practices in work, sports, and recreation, such as wearing a proper helmet when playing football, may prevent some accidental injuries to the face or jaw.