Jaw Fracture In Adults
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GENERAL INFORMATION:
What is it? A jaw fracture (frak-shur) is a break in the jaw bone. The jaw bone is made up of the upper and lower jawbone. A break may occur in either or both of these bones. It may take weeks or months for the jawbone to heal.
Causes: You may have broken your jaw bone from an injury or an accident.
Signs and Symptoms: Swelling, pain, bruising, or bleeding in the jawbone are signs of a fractured jaw bone. You may have pain in front of your ear or trouble opening your mouth.
Care: You may need an x-ray of your jawbone. Put an ice pack on your jaw to help lessen the swelling and pain. Acetaminophen (uh-c-tuh-min-o-fin) or ibuprofen (i-bew-pro-fin) may help your pain. Caregivers may give you stronger medicine if you have a lot of pain. You may need antibiotic (an-ti-bi-ah-tik) medicine if you have a break in your skin or gums. Surgery may be needed to fix your jaw fracture.
CARE AGREEMENT:
You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.
Copyright © 2008 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.
The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
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