How to confirm a jaw fracture?
Patient: 5 weeks ago I under went double jaw surgery and 2 weeks I had to have surgery again on my lower jaw cause I fractured my left side. My lower jaw on the left side clicks every time I open or close my mouth my oral surgeon just put elastics in 2 days ago to close my open bit and ever since then the clicking has gotten worse and the pain is unbearable it kills to open my mouth or even talk. On my left side where I had my fracture just below it I feel a space like I didn t when I first fractured the same side. What should I do? Wait and see if it will go away or call my surgeon? Did I fracture my jaw again or is a screw lose or could I just be a muscle issue Doctor: hi,thank your for providing the brief history of you.As the TMJ surgery is a complicated one. Taking a proper care is of due importance. Also, the pain has to be high since it is close to the brain and the muscular system is too less to provide a big support. If the muscles were bulky enough like thigh or hip then things were different but any increase in the pain you need to contact your Surgeon again as smallest injury when it becomes big no can predict.Also, you need to be very careful as the TMJ surgeon tries their best and the effort from them is really incredible. what you eat, how you chew, how you posiuon yourself in sleeping etc makes a very high understanding here. Also, I appreciate your patience as well in this duration of the fracture as only you will be knowing how much pain it will be.I don't think it must have got fracture but still having a word with the surgeon will surely help us asssit further.RegardsJay Indravadan Patel