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"Mandibularly" Speaking: The Case of a Broken Jawbone

November 5, 2009 - 6:57pm 162 reads 1 comments

The tenth most fractured bone in the human body is the jaw bone. Also known as a mandibular fracture, a broken jaw comes in right behind a broken nose as the most common facial injury. This type of fracture is usually the result of a direct force to the jawbone.

The jawbone is actually the largest bone of the lower part of the face. Men are three times more likely than women to sustain a fracture in their jaw. The most commonly affected group is the 20-29 age range. According to www.emedicinehealth.com, some contributing factors to a jawbone fracture include automobile accidents, sports injuries, assaults, and falls.

Pain is the most common symptom of a broken jawbone. Your teeth may also feel as if they are not aligning together properly (malocclusion). You may experience difficulty in opening your jaw all the way, encounter troubles in speaking, or have swelling around that area. If a nerve is affected, your chin or lower lip may become numb. Within your mouth, you may experience some bleeding or recognize a change in the usual lineup of your teeth. Bruising might be present under the tongue, and you may even sustain a cut in the ear canal as a result of the backward motion of the broken jawbone.

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The Dental Maven

Great information!

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