Broken Jaw (cont.)
Medical Author:
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhDDr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications. Medical Editor:
Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP
Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEPDr. Balentine received his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. He attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduating in1983. He completed his internship at St. Joseph's Hospital in Philadelphia and his Emergency Medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, where he served as chief resident. IN THIS ARTICLE
Follow-upMany jaw fractures require surgery. Because of that, patients may need to follow up with an oral surgeon. Healing time varies with the type of fracture; in general, the average time to heal a jawbone fracture takes about six weeks. All antibiotics need to be taken as instructed. Follow all recommendations on diet; patients often lose weight while recovering from a jaw fracture because many patients may only be able to swallow pureed or blended foods through a straw if the mandible is wired shut to facilitate healing. The doctor may suggest the patient consult with a dietician to help design a good diet until the jaw heals. Next Page: Must Read Articles Related to Broken Jaw
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Viewer Comments & ReviewsBroken Jaw - TreatmentThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What was the treatment for your broken jaw? |
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The first description of mandible fractures was as early as 1650 BC, when an Egyptian papyrus described the examination, diagnosis, and treatment of mandible fractures.
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