People think it is easy to tell if they have broken a bone. They imagine their arm pointing in the wrong direction or being unable to walk because they broke their leg. There are many times when it is not always as obvious that you have broken a bone.

If you are in an accident, it is possible that you could break your jaw and not realize it right away. There are several signs to watch out for that signal a broken jaw is possible, especially after you have been in some type of accident.

When you get into a car accident, the motion of your car suddenly stops. That does not mean that your body stops in the same way. The violent force that comes from stopping suddenly can hurt the body in a few ways. When it comes to the jaw, there are a few different ways that it can get hurt. It is possible to break the jaw if your face hits a part of the car during the accident or if the force of the accident is so great that your jaw breaks from the sudden movement.

The most obvious sign that you have a broken jaw is pain. A bad break will stop you from moving the jaw and will cause pain. Unfortunately, not all broken jaws are as obvious. There are times when the symptoms don’t show up right away. Some of the things to watch for after an accident that signal a possible broken jaw are swelling and bruising, difficulty opening or closing the mouth, an inability to bring your top and bottom jaw together and difficulty chewing.

Even if the jaw is not broken, that does not mean that something else is not wrong. Dislocations and fractures of the jaw are common after a car accident. Like the broken jaw, you may not realize these things right away. That is why it is important to come into our office after an accident to check for any serious issues that require treatment.

For more information about this or any other oral health issue, contact our office to schedule an appointment.