A broken jaw is diagnosed when you have a crack, or in severe cases a complete break, in your jawbone. Sometimes a jaw dislocation will accompany the break, meaning the lower part of your jaw is moved out of its normal place. With the right treatment, a broken jaw will usually heal completely, although eating during the healing process can be difficult.
Causes
The most common reason you may end up with a broken jaw is due to an injury to your face. This can be the result of a physical assault or confrontation, an auto accident, sports or recreational injury, or workplace mishap. The degree of injury from such a trauma can vary greatly, ranging from a hairline crack to the jawbone being shattered.
Symptoms
After you have fractured your jaw, you may experience certain symptoms alerting you to the problem. Symptoms of a broken jaw can include bleeding from the mouth, bruising and swelling on the face, inability to open your mouth, damaged teeth, numbness and lumps or contusions on the jaw.
Foods to Eat
Depending on the severity of your injury, you may be able to eat softer foods and not have to rely solely on liquids. Either way, you won't be eating your normal fare during the healing process. It can be a challenge to get enough calories, especially if your jaw is wired shut, so you'll have to follow some specific guidelines. Include foods such as cereals, fruits, vegetables, milk and meats. Puree the foods in a blender that you can't eat in their natural state. If you need more calories, add extras like sour cream, mayonnaise or melted cheese to the purees for more calories, advises Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Milkshakes will be a big part of your diet, so include bananas, peanut butter and protein powders, such as soy, whey or hemp protein powder, for nutrition and calories. Cream soups are also a good choice to boost calorie intake.
Treatments
After you are injured, hold your jaw in place gently with your hand as you travel to the hospital. You can also wrap a tensor bandage around your jaw and top of your head, but not too tightly in case you have to vomit. Depending on the degree of fracture, you may only need pain medication and a soft food diet, or you may need surgery. With a bad break, the jaw is wired to the teeth of your other jaw to help with stability. The recovery time is typically six to eight weeks, notes the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at Penn State University.
Complications
Sometimes, complications may arise during the recovery period, or shortly after the injury occurs. These complications may include bleeding, blood or food in the lungs, airway blockage, infection, misaligned teeth and pain.
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