Your Bite Changed After a Facial Injury: When Should You See an Oral Surgeon?

If your teeth don’t come together the way they used to after a fall, sports injury, or any hit to the face, it’s important to get checked out. A bite change after facial injury can mean your teeth, jaw, or the bone that supports them has shifted, even if swelling makes it tough to spot right away.

At Sunset Oral & Facial Surgery in West Hollywood, Dr. David Salehani evaluates injuries to your mouth, jaws, facial bones, and soft tissues.

Which Signs Call for an Oral Surgery Evaluation?

Pain and bruising are common after a hit, but some changes can signal a more serious injury:

• Your teeth fit together differently, or your jaw moves to one side
• You can’t open your mouth fully, or have trouble biting, chewing, speaking, or swallowing
• Teeth are loose, broken, displaced, or missing
• You notice numbness, your face looks uneven, your vision changes, or you have trouble breathing

The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons explains that facial trauma can involve the teeth, jaws, facial bones, and soft tissues. If the injured person is unconscious, confused, dizzy, nauseated, or unable to respond normally, call 911. Severe injuries or uncertain symptoms need emergency care first.

Why Does a Changed Bite Matter After Facial Trauma?

Your bite, also called dental occlusion, shows how your upper and lower teeth fit together. A jaw fracture or an injury to the bone supporting your teeth can change that relationship.

A sudden change in your bite helps an oral surgeon figure out where the injury is. AAOMS explains that knowing your jaw position and bite is key to fixing complex facial fractures. Your treatment plan will use this information to restore your bite and help you chew and move your jaw comfortably.

What Will the Oral Surgeon Check?

Dr. David Salehani, DDS, MD, is a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon with advanced training in dentistry, medicine, surgery, and trauma care. He’ll check your bite, teeth, jaw movement, facial symmetry, sensation, and any areas that feel swollen or painful.

When you visit us for facial trauma treatment in West Hollywood, Dr. Salehani may use 3D CT imaging to check your facial bones and deeper structures. Johns Hopkins Medicine recommends CT as the main imaging tool for facial trauma since it shows both bone and soft tissue.

Your treatment will depend on what we find during your exam and imaging. Some injuries just need to be watched or repaired by a dentist. If you have a displaced fracture, you may need the bone repositioned and stabilized with plates, screws, wires, or another method that fits your injury.

FAQ

Does every facial injury need surgery?

No. Your treatment plan depends on which structures are injured, where the fracture is, your bite, symptoms, and what imaging shows. An evaluation will help you know if you need surgery, dental treatment, or just follow-up while you heal.

Should I see a dentist or an oral surgeon after facial trauma?

A dentist can take care of many single tooth injuries. If your bite has changed or the injury might involve your jaw, supporting bone, or other facial bones, an oral surgeon for facial trauma has the training to check those areas.

Schedule a Facial Trauma Evaluation in West Hollywood

If your bite feels different after an injury, don’t just assume it’s swelling. Sunset Oral & Facial Surgery serves West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and nearby areas. Dr. Salehani can check your teeth, jaw, and facial structure and walk you through what treatment, if any, makes sense for your situation.