What is a broken or dislocated jaw?

What is a broken or dislocated jaw?

Like other bones in the body, the jawbone can experience a fracture (broken bone). You can also dislocate the jawbone. A dislocation means the lower jawbone moves out of one of the two temporomandibular joints (TMJ) that connect the mandible to the skull.

Both conditions can cause pain and make it difficult or impossible to talk or eat. A dislocated or broken jaw can also affect breathing. These medical emergencies require prompt evaluation and treatment.

A fracture or dislocation most often affects the lower jawbone. Fractures can occur in the:

• Part that supports your teeth (body).
• Angle where your jaw curves.
• Knob-shaped joint at the top of the jawbone (condyle).
• Point where the two sides of the lower jawbone join (symphysis).

An upper jawbone fracture often happens along with other facial fractures like the cheekbone (zygomaticomaxillary or ZMC fracture) or eye socket (orbital fracture). Broken jaws are second to broken noses as the most common type of facial fracture.