Jaw Fracture A broken jaw or "Jaw fracture" is a (crack or break) of the Mandible bone (bone of the lower jaw). The mandible is a sturdy bone that is horseshoe-shaped in the middle, but angled at the right and left sides (the angle of the jaw). At Either end, the mandible meets the skull's temporal bones to form the right and left jaw joints (also called the temporomandibular joints) of each ear. Whenever an impact fractures the mandible, the damage may occur in the tooth bearing middle portion, at the angle or at the extreme ends (called condyles) near the ears.   Symptoms of a broken jaw (fracture) may include: Bruising, swelling or tenderness along your jaw or below your ear. Malocclusion- the feeling that your teeth don't fit together properly or that your "bite" is off. Swelling or a black & blue area in the gum over the jawbone. Pain in your jaw joint, pain in front of the ear or in the ear canal. Difficulty opening the mouth, or pain in your jaw joint. Numbness in your lower lip or chin- this can be a sign of nerve damage related to the fracture.   Call your Doctor or Dentist Immediately if: You suffer a blow to your jaw, and you have any of the above symptoms!   Jaw fractures occur from trauma to the lower face: An accidental fall, children playing, running into something or adults fainting Dashboard impact from a car collision A fall from a motorcycle or Bycicle A fall or collision during sports A punch to the jaw during violent assault.   To confirm the injury: After examination a standard X-ray or a special panoramic X-Ray (Panorex) of the jaw bone will be taken to confirm the fracture. Sometimes a CT scan is used. Treatment may include: Realignment of the fractured pieces of bone with wires or by repairing the break with metal plates and screws. Wires or rubber bands may be used to hold the jaw in place to keep it from moving. This will help the bones heal the right way. Healing time: In general, once a jaw fracture is treated, healing time usually takes approximately 6 weeks. Eating & Drinking may be difficult: For a period of time liquids may be the only thing that can be easily swallowed. The Zip-N-Squeeze Bags were designed to help make consuming a liquid diet easier  when cups and straws are difficult or cannot be used! For instructions on how-to-do a liquid diet with great tasting recipes, see "The Healing Jaw" guidebook.   Click here to go to the next page.