Arthritis Answers

Broken Jaw

A broken jaw (or mandibular fracture) is a common facial injury. Only the nose is broken more frequently. A broken jaw is the tenth most common fractured bone in the human body. Fractures (these are breaks in the bone) are generally the result of a direct force or trauma to the jawbone.

see jaw fracture for more information

Broken Jaw Symptoms

• The most common symptom is jaw pain.
   
• your teeth may not fit together correctly (this is called a malocclusion
• inability to open your jaw all the way, have problems speaking, or notice swelling of the jaw.
• lower lip numbness because of damage to a nerve that runs through the mandible.
• bleeding or find a change in the normal lineup of teeth.
• bruising under the tongue or even a cut in the ear canal due to movement backward of the broken jawbone.