Think it's just a bruise? Plastic surgeon warns that ignoring facial injuries after a fall or crash can cause lifelong damage
Mainly, people identify plastic surgery with changes to appearance. However, worldwide, on July 15, World Plastic Surgery Day, surgeons take the opportunity to discuss reconstructive plastic surgery specialist to repair facial trauma to aid normal breathing, eating, and speaking.
Dr Suman Yadav, MDS Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon and Director of Healthy Dentz, believes fractures of the face are one of the most overlooked injuries in emergency medicine. "People think a swollen face is just a bruise and will go down in a few days. They don't think that under the swelling, there is a fractured jaw , a fractured cheek bone, or a fractured nose and eye socket bone," she says.
These injuries can be caused by road traffic accidents, falls, and sport and can lead to irreversible damage to the face, beyond what is visible to the eye.
One of the first symptoms that you may experience in cases of facial injury and fractures is breathing. "A fractured nasal bone, or a jaw that isn’t in alignment can hinder breathing," explains Dr Yadav. "Some patients have trouble breathing, particularly when lying down."
Eating can also be difficult. "If there is a fracture around the jaw joint, eating could hurt and the patient may even be unable to open their mouth widely enough to eat comfortably," she adds.
Speaking can similarly be difficult if there is any problem with the jaws, lips or tongue. "They all need to be in harmony for you to produce speech properly and if the underlying bone structure is fractured, your speech might become slurred," she adds.
Dr Suman Yadav, MDS Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon and Director of Healthy Dentz, believes fractures of the face are one of the most overlooked injuries in emergency medicine. "People think a swollen face is just a bruise and will go down in a few days. They don't think that under the swelling, there is a fractured jaw , a fractured cheek bone, or a fractured nose and eye socket bone," she says.
These injuries can be caused by road traffic accidents, falls, and sport and can lead to irreversible damage to the face, beyond what is visible to the eye.
One of the first symptoms that you may experience in cases of facial injury and fractures is breathing. "A fractured nasal bone, or a jaw that isn’t in alignment can hinder breathing," explains Dr Yadav. "Some patients have trouble breathing, particularly when lying down."
Eating can also be difficult. "If there is a fracture around the jaw joint, eating could hurt and the patient may even be unable to open their mouth widely enough to eat comfortably," she adds.
Speaking can similarly be difficult if there is any problem with the jaws, lips or tongue. "They all need to be in harmony for you to produce speech properly and if the underlying bone structure is fractured, your speech might become slurred," she adds.
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