Broken jaw: what to do first?
If you think your jaw is broken, go to a hospital emergency department straight away, and call 998 for an ambulance in the UAE if there is difficulty breathing, heavy bleeding, a head injury or a neck injury. Support the jaw gently with your hand or a scarf, do not try to push it back into place, and do not eat. Jaw fractures are treated in hospital; at Creative Arts in Dubai we help afterwards with the teeth.
Who treats you here Dr. Firas Osman Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon & Implantologist · Dr. Khalid Saeed Co-founder & Dentist · Dr. Somar Dahdal General Dentist
Every dentist’s licence can be checked on the DHA Sheryan medical directory.
How do I know if my jaw is broken?
Jaw fractures usually follow a fall, a sports collision, a road accident or a blow to the face. The US National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus) lists pain in front of the ear or on the side of the injury that worsens with movement, difficulty chewing, numbness of the lower lip and loose or damaged teeth among the signs of a broken jaw. Other common signs are:
- A bite that suddenly feels wrong: the teeth no longer meet the way they did.
- Difficulty opening or closing the mouth, or the jaw moving to one side when you open.
- Swelling or bruising of the face, under the tongue or inside the cheek.
- Bleeding from the mouth, or a step or gap felt along the gum.
- Numbness of the lip, chin or cheek.
A dislocated jaw is different: the joint slips out of its socket, often during a big yawn or a blow, and the mouth may be stuck open. It also needs urgent medical care. Do not try to put either back yourself.
Call 998 or go straight to a hospital emergency department if…
there is any difficulty breathing or swallowing; bleeding from the mouth or nose will not stop; the person lost consciousness, is confused, drowsy or vomiting; there is neck pain or a suspected neck injury; vision has changed or the eye area is badly swollen; or the injury came from a road accident, fall from height or assault. Creative Arts is a dental clinic open daily 10:00–20:00 and is not the right first stop for a suspected fracture.
Broken jaw first aid: what to do on the way to hospital
Simple steps while help is arranged. They do not replace emergency medical care.
Protect breathing
Sit upright and lean slightly forward so blood and saliva can drain out of the mouth. Do not lie flat on your back.
ImmediatelySupport the jaw
Hold the lower jaw gently with your hand, or with a scarf or bandage passed under the chin and over the top of the head, loosely enough to release quickly if you feel sick.
ImmediatelyDo not reposition it
MedlinePlus advises not trying to fix the jaw yourself. Moving it can damage nerves and blood vessels.
ThroughoutControl bleeding and swelling
Press a clean cloth on bleeding wounds and hold a cold pack wrapped in a cloth against the face.
On the wayNothing to eat or drink
You may need surgery or sedation. Small sips of water only if the hospital team agrees.
Until assessedKeep teeth or pieces
If a permanent tooth is knocked out, pick it up by the crown and keep it in milk. The jaw injury still takes priority.
If possible
Hospital or dentist first?
The rule is simple: anything that may involve the bone of the jaw or face, the airway or the head goes to hospital first.
| What happened | Where to go first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Suspected broken or dislocated jaw | Hospital emergency department | Needs imaging, airway assessment and specialist facial trauma care |
| Facial injury with head injury, vomiting, confusion or neck pain | Call 998 or go to hospital | Head and neck injuries must be ruled out first |
| Broken cheekbone or eye-socket area, double vision | Hospital emergency department | Needs facial and eye assessment |
| Chipped or broken tooth, jaw moves normally | Dentist during opening hours | A tooth injury without a jaw fracture is dental care |
| Knocked-out adult tooth, otherwise well | Dentist as soon as possible | Replanting quickly improves the tooth's chances |
| Jaw sore after a blow, bite normal, opens fully | Dentist or doctor for a check | Often a bruise or joint strain, but worth an examination |
If in doubt, go to hospital. A dental clinic cannot rule out a fracture of the face or skull.
What happens in hospital?
The emergency team first checks breathing, bleeding and any head or neck injury. A CT scan or X-rays show where the jaw is broken and whether the fragments have moved. A facial trauma team, usually including an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, then decides on treatment.
Small fractures that have not moved may be managed with pain relief, a soft diet and close review. MedlinePlus notes that moderate to severe fractures often need surgery, and that the jaw may be wired for about six to eight weeks, with liquids or very soft food only. Many fractures today are fixed with small plates and screws inside the mouth, which can reduce or avoid the need for wiring.
Creative Arts does not treat jaw fractures. That care belongs to the hospital team. Recovery from the operation follows a similar pattern to planned jaw surgery; our guide to jaw surgery recovery covers soft diets, swelling and numbness.
What happens to the teeth after a jaw fracture?
Teeth are often caught up in a jaw injury, and some problems appear only weeks or months later:
- Loose or displaced teeth next to the fracture are usually splinted or stabilised in hospital.
- Broken teeth may need bonding, a crown or, if the root is fractured, extraction. Our guide to reattaching a broken tooth piece explains one option for front teeth.
- Nerve damage inside a tooth can follow a blow even when the tooth looks fine. A tooth that darkens, becomes tender or develops a gum boil may need root canal treatment.
- Bite changes can remain after healing, especially if a fracture involved the joint area.
- Lip or chin numbness from bruising of the nerve often improves gradually over months.
Stiffness and limited opening are common after the jaw has been immobilised. Our guide to being unable to open your mouth fully explains why this happens and how it is usually managed. Ongoing joint pain or clicking can be assessed at our TMJ assessment.
Discharged after a jaw or facial injury and worried about your teeth or bite? Bring your hospital report and scans. Our oral and maxillofacial surgeon reviews the dental side and plans any treatment in writing.
Oral surgery in DubaiFollow-up care after a broken jaw: how Creative Arts can help
Once the hospital team has treated the fracture and is happy for dental work to start, Dr. Firas Osman, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon & Implantologist, can review the healed area, check teeth along the fracture line with X-rays or a CBCT 3D scan, and coordinate any further dental care. Dr. Khalid Saeed and Dr. Somar Dahdal look after damaged and lost teeth, from repairs and crowns to planning tooth replacement once the bone has healed.
Bring your hospital discharge letter, the scans or a report, and details of any plates or screws. Your dental plan is given to you in writing, and anything that should still be managed by the hospital team stays with them.
Many facial injuries are preventable. Seatbelts, helmets for cycling and e-scooters, and a fitted mouthguard for contact sport reduce the risk; our guide to sports mouthguards explains the options. If the injury is a tooth rather than the jaw, our dental first aid guide covers the steps.