Facial Injury After Accident? Trauma Repair in New Jersey
If you've suffered a facial injury in an accident, whether from a fall, motor vehicle crash, sports mishap, or other unexpected event. In those moments, the pain and fear are real, and you might be unsure what to do next.
At Englewood Oral Surgery, we understand how urgent these situations are. Our team specializes in Facial Trauma Repair Treatments in NJ, helping patients restore both function and appearance after an accident.
In this article, we’ll cover:
What counts as facial trauma
Why prompt, expert care is important
Types of facial injuries (bones, soft tissue, dental)
How trauma repair works at Englewood Oral Surgery
What to expect before, during, and after treatment
Risks and complications
Costs, insurance, and how to get help
What Is Facial Trauma / Injury?
Facial trauma simply means an injury to the face, mouth, or jaw. These injuries can range from something as small as a chipped tooth to more serious concerns like a jaw fracture. They affect not only how you look but also how you eat, speak, and smile.
Facial trauma can involve:
Teeth (chipped, fractured, or knocked out)
Jawbone (fractures or dislocations)
Soft tissues (cuts, lacerations, or swelling of lips, cheeks, and gums)
Facial bones (cheekbone or orbital bone injuries)
Why Quick, Expert Care Matters
After an accident, it may be tempting to “wait and see” if the pain goes away. But delays in care can create serious problems. Getting treatment quickly matters a lot. Here’s why:
Prevent more damage. Bleeding, swelling, and infection can worsen if left unaddressed.
Preserve function. You want to be able to chew, speak, swallow, breathe, and move your face normally. Misaligned bones or untreated fractures can interfere with these.
Reduce scarring & cosmetic impact. The sooner the repair begins, the better the chance of minimal visible scars or disfigurement.
Protect against long‑term complications. If teeth are knocked out, replacing them quickly helps to preserve bone and reduce future dental problems. If nerve damage isn’t addressed, you may have lasting numbness or altered sensation.
Because dental/facial anatomy is complex, injuries often involve both bone and soft tissue. That’s why treatment by a specialist in oral and maxillofacial surgery is essential.
Common Causes of Facial and Dental Trauma
Facial and dental trauma can happen in many everyday situations, not just major accidents. Here are some common causes:
Sports Injuries: Contact sports like football, basketball, and hockey often involve impacts that can injure the face or jaw.
Car or Bike Accidents: Sudden collisions or falls from vehicles can cause significant trauma to the facial bones and teeth.
Slips and Falls: Falling on hard surfaces can result in fractures, cuts, or dental injuries, even from seemingly minor incidents.
Workplace Accidents: Jobs involving construction, heavy lifting, or machinery carry risks of facial injuries from equipment or falls.
Unexpected Impact: Facial trauma can also occur during fights, accidents at home, or even rough play, where unexpected blows or collisions happen.
Types of Dental and Facial Trauma
Different injuries require different solutions. Here’s a breakdown for easier understanding:
To understand how trauma repair works, it's useful to know the kinds of injuries you might have:
1. Bone Injuries (Fractures)
These are broken bones in the facial skeleton. Depending on where and how severe the fracture is, parts of the jaw, cheekbone, orbital (eye socket), or upper jaw may be involved. Some common bone injuries:
Mandible (lower jaw) fractures – This can affect how your teeth align and, ability to open your mouth.
Maxilla (upper jaw) fractures – Might involve your cheek or upper dental arch.
Zygomatic / cheekbone fractures – These affect cheek shape, eye socket, vision, and sometimes sinuses.
Orbital fractures – Damage to the bones around the eye. May affect vision or eye movement.
Bone fractures often require stabilization (holding broken parts in place so they heal correctly).
2. Soft‐Tissue Injuries
These are injuries to the lips, cheeks, tongue, gums, skin, and other soft parts. Examples:
Cuts, lacerations
Bruising, swelling
Damage to nerves (leading to numbness or tingling)
Injuries to salivary glands or ducts
Soft tissue injuries must be cleaned, repaired, and sometimes stitched, with attention to getting a good cosmetic outcome.
3. Dental Injuries
These affect teeth and their supporting structures. Includes:
Chipped, cracked, or broken teeth
Teeth that are displaced (moved out of position)
Teeth knocked out (avulsed)
Damage to the bone or ligaments around the tooth
Dental injuries sometimes need prompt attention to try to save or replant the tooth.
Trauma Repair Treatments in New Jersey
At Englewood Oral Surgery, our team is experienced in treating all kinds of facial and dental injuries. Here’s what you can expect when you come to us for trauma repair in New Jersey:
Our treatment options include:
Step 1: Emergency Assessment
We check airway, breathing, and circulation first (if injury is severe).
Control bleeding.
Evaluate soft tissue damage and bone injury. Imaging (X‑rays, CT scan) is used to see the extent of fractures or internal damage.
Stabilize urgent issues.
Step 2: Planning the Repair
Once we know what structures are involved (bones, teeth, soft tissue), we map out a treatment plan. This includes:
What kind of repair is needed (bone stabilization, tooth replantation, soft tissue stitching, etc)
Deciding whether the repair can be done in the office or requires a hospital operating room
Considering anesthesia/sedation needs
Estimating timelines for healing and follow‑ups
Step 3: Surgical / Repair Treatment
Depending on the injury type, one or more of the following may be done:
Bone repair using small plates, screws, wires, or fixation devices (“rigid fixation”) to hold fractured bones in place while they heal.
Realignment of teeth and jaw so your bite works correctly.
Soft tissue repair (stitches) for cuts, lacerations, or damaged lips/cheeks. Care to align tissues to minimize scarring.
Replanting knocked‑out teeth, if possible. If a tooth can’t be saved, options like dental implants or bridges may be discussed later.
Repair of nerves or glands, if injured.
Step 4: Healing and Follow‑Up
Healing takes time and follows aftercare steps to ensure the best results.
You’ll have follow‑up visits to:
Check that bones are healing properly
Monitor for infection
Remove stitches or hardware if needed (e.g., wires)
Make sure soft tissue is healing well, and the cosmetic outcome is good
Check dental health and consider reconstructive dental work if needed
What You Can Expect: Patient Experience
Here’s how things usually feel from a patient’s point of view:
Before Treatment
You may feel pain, swelling, bruising, difficulty moving your jaw, or trouble chewing/speaking.
You might also be anxious, worried about appearance, and function (eating, speaking).
During Treatment
You’ll be given anesthesia or sedation so the procedure is comfortable.
Procedures can take from an hour to several hours, depending on severity.
In hospital settings (for severe injuries), there may be cooperation with other medical teams (e.g., ENT, plastics, ophthalmology) if multiple structures are damaged.
After Treatment
Some discomfort, swelling, and bruising are normal.
Pain control with medications (prescribed or over‑the‑counter)
Soft diet initially, avoiding chewing hard foods in the area repaired
Keeping the area clean, good oral hygiene, and maybe antiseptic rinses
Sometimes limited mouth opening if the jaw is involved
Regular follow‑ups to monitor healing
Recovery Timeline
Healing time depends on:
Type and severity of injury
Patient's age, general health, habits (smoking delays healing)
Which parts were repaired (bone vs soft tissue vs dental)
A rough outline:
Possible Risks and Complications
As with all surgery, there are risks. But when done by a skilled surgeon with good planning, many risks are rare. Possible complications include:
Infection at the surgery site
Poor healing (non‑union of bone)
Nerve injury leading to numbness or altered sensation (lip, tongue, cheek)
Unsatisfactory cosmetic result (visible scar, asymmetry)
Dental problems (loss of teeth, misalignment)
Need for revision surgery
We’ll discuss all these in your consultation and take steps to minimize them.
Costs and Insurance
Insurance
Many procedures for facial trauma are covered by health insurance since they are medically necessary.
If teeth injuries are involved, dental insurance may also apply.
Your insurance company’s coverage will depend on your specific policy, the extent of injury, hospital vs office setting, etc.
Payment & Financial Planning
At Englewood Oral Surgery, we help with insurance pre‑authorization.
We also offer flexible payment plans or financing options when needed.
We’ll provide cost estimates ahead of time once we know the extent of treatment.
Why Choose Englewood Oral Surgery in New Jersey for Trauma Repair Treatments
You want a team you can trust. At Englewood Oral Surgery, you’ll get:
Board‑certified oral and maxillofacial surgeons experienced in trauma repair
State‑of‑the‑art imaging (CT scans, 3D imaging) so we can precisely see fractures & damage
Surgical skill in both functional repair (chewing, speech, bite alignment) and aesthetic considerations (minimizing scars, restoring facial symmetry)
Compassionate care, emotional support, realistic expectations, and clear communication
Things You Can Do to Help Healing
As a patient, you also play a big role in recovery:
Follow all post‑op instructions carefully (cleaning, diet, activity limits)
Keep your follow‑ups with the surgeon
Avoid tobacco and alcohol (both slow healing)
Eat nutritious foods, good protein, and vitamins that help tissue repair
Get rest and avoid strenuous activities early on
Take the First Step: Consultation at Englewood Oral Surgery
If you’ve suffered a facial injury, even one that seems minor, it’s best to have it evaluated. What may seem cosmetic may hide underlying problems. We’re here in New Jersey to help with:
A full evaluation of your injury
Imaging & diagnosis
A personalized repair plan
Expert surgical care and follow‑up
You deserve to regain both your function and confidence. Contact Englewood Oral Surgery today to schedule your trauma repair consultation. Let’s rebuild your smile and your life.
