Facial fractures

What causes facial fractures?

Facial fractures during childhood have a number of causes:

• falls
• being struck by a blunt object
• motor vehicle accidents
• disease (a very small percentage)

Jaw fractures

Fractures of the jaw are most often caused by:

• car, bicycle and motorcycle accidents
• fistfights
• falls
• sports accidents
• industrial accidents

They may also result from diseases, such as osteomyelitis (an infection of the bone), metabolic disorders, or tumors.

Nasal and cheekbone fractures

Fractures of the nasal bones and cheekbones can result from any severe impact to the area. Common causes include:

• blunt objects
• falls
• fistfights
• sports accidents

Eye socket fractures

Fractures of the floor of the eye bone socket are called blowout fractures. They most often result from a sudden increase in pressure around the eye area due to an external force such as a fist or a baseball.

All of the connecting bones in the eye area are compressed, and the system of bone structures gives out (blows out) at its weakest point - the floor of the eye bone socket.

What are the symptoms of facial fractures?

Each child may experience symptoms differently and they vary depending on what kind of facial fracture your child may have experienced. Symptoms your child may have can include:

• pain
• excessive salivation
• difficulty swallowing.
• swelling
• malocclusion (improper meshing of the upper and lower jaw and teeth)
• skin discoloration
• visible jaw deformity
• nosebleed
• difficulty breathing
• lacerations either inside or outside the nose
• visible displacement of the nose
• crackling noise when the ends of a broken bone are rubbed together

If you suspect that your child has a facial fracture, seek medical attention immediately.