Facial trauma / fracture repair
Surgery to put broken facial bones — such as the jaw, cheek, eye socket or nose — back into position and hold them while they heal, used when the break has affected how the face looks, bites or works.
✓ Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant · last reviewed September 2026 · next review September 2027 · how we review
In short
- Facial fracture repair puts broken facial bones back into position and holds them — often with small plates and screws hidden inside the mouth or in skin creases.
- Not every facial fracture needs surgery; minor, stable breaks often heal with a soft diet and monitoring.
- Numbness near the broken bone is common because facial nerves run close to the bones; it often improves over months but can be permanent.
- Restoring the bite is a key goal for jaw fractures, and a fracture near the eye needs urgent attention if vision changes.
A plain-English summary. The detail — including risks and recovery — is below.
At a glance
A general guide. Your surgeon will give you advice for your situation.
Restores the bite so the teeth meet correctly after a jaw fracture
A minor, stable fracture where the bite, face, eye and jaw are all normal may be better monitored than operated on.
Swelling and bruising are usually at their worst. If the eye area is involved you are watched for vision changes. Use cool packs, keep your head raised...
Clear written advice on diet, mouth care, painkillers and warning signs, with a named contact.
Swelling and bruising are usually at their worst. If the eye area is involved you are watched for vision changes...
Swelling settles noticeably. Skin stitches are usually removed around a week; mouth stitches dissolve. Keep to a...
The bone is largely healed. Diet and activity are gradually built up as advised, and any wires or bands holding...
Numbness may keep improving for several months. Scars continue to fade. The bite, eye and face shape are reviewed...
What is facial trauma / fracture repair?
A blow to the face — from a fall, assault, sport, road accident or workplace injury — can break one or more facial bones. The bones commonly involved include the lower jaw (mandible), the cheekbone (zygoma), the eye socket (orbit), the upper jaw (maxilla) and the nose. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are the specialists who repair these injuries.
Not every facial fracture needs surgery. Many minor, stable fractures heal well on their own with painkillers, a soft diet and monitoring. Surgery is considered when the break has moved the bones, changed the shape of the face, upset the bite, affected the eye, limited jaw movement, or threatens to heal in the wrong position.
The operation puts the bones back into position (reduction) and, where needed, holds them with small titanium plates and screws (fixation), or sometimes by temporarily wiring the teeth together so the bite guides healing. Cuts are placed inside the mouth or in hidden facial creases wherever possible.
The aim is to restore the bite, the shape of the face and the function of the eye and jaw, and to let the bones heal in the right position. It cannot always guarantee that numbness or every functional problem will fully recover, as this depends on the injury itself.
Types & techniques
There isn't one single operation. The right approach depends on you — which is something to discuss with your surgeon.
Surgery vs monitoring a facial fracture
| Surgery | Monitoring |
|---|---|
| Bones are out of position or unstable | Minor, stable fracture |
| The bite, face shape or eye is affected | Bite, face and eye are normal |
| Jaw movement is limited | Jaw moves normally |
| Risk of healing in the wrong position | Expected to heal well on its own |
| Aims to restore bite, shape and function | Avoids surgery and its risks |
Whether surgery is needed depends on which bone is broken, how displaced it is, and whether the bite, eye or jaw is affected. Your surgeon will explain whether your fracture truly needs fixing or can be safely monitored.
Preparing for your surgery
- Have the scans (usually a CT) and any eye or dental assessment the team needs to plan the repair.
- Tell the team about all medicines, especially blood thinners, and any bleeding tendencies.
- Mention any change in vision, numbness or how your teeth meet, so it is recorded before surgery.
- Follow fasting instructions for the general anaesthetic and arrange a lift home or support.
- Stop smoking if you can, as it slows bone and wound healing and raises the risk of problems.
- Plan for a soft or liquid diet afterwards, especially for jaw fractures, and stock suitable foods.
- Ask which cuts will be used, what scars and numbness to expect, and how long off work you will need.
What happens
The operation is usually done under a general anaesthetic, so you are asleep. The surgeon reaches the broken bone through cuts that are hidden where possible — most often inside the mouth, or in natural skin creases, the hairline or near the eyelashes.
The bones are repositioned. Where they need holding, small titanium plates and screws are fixed across the fracture. For some jaw fractures, the teeth may be temporarily wired or banded together so the bite guides healing. For complex injuries, the eye socket or other areas may be rebuilt with mesh or a graft.
The length of the operation varies a lot, from under an hour to several hours, depending on how many bones are broken and how complex the repair is. Cuts are closed with stitches — those inside the mouth usually dissolve, and skin stitches are removed after about a week. You may go home the same day or stay a few nights, and are watched for any change in vision if the eye area is involved.
Is this operation right for me?
A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.
May not be suitable if…
- A minor, stable fracture where the bite, face, eye and jaw are all normal may be better monitored than operated on.
- Surgery may be delayed if swelling is too great to judge the bone position or bite accurately.
- Very frail patients may be offered a more limited approach after discussing risks and benefits.
- Surgery on the bone alone cannot guarantee that numbness or every functional problem fully recovers.
Delay surgery if…
- There is active infection at or near a planned wound.
- The airway is at risk, or there are other serious injuries that take priority — these are managed first.
- Vision is unstable or there is an eye problem needing assessment.
- Blood-thinning medicine or a bleeding tendency has not been assessed.
- Severe swelling makes it hard to judge the bones or bite (a short, planned delay may help).
Alternatives to discuss
- Monitoring a minor, stable fracture rather than operating.
- Closed reduction (for example realigning the nose, or wiring the bite) without open surgery.
- Treating one part of a complex injury and reviewing the rest.
- Later corrective surgery if a problem persists after healing.
- Pain relief, a soft diet and supportive care while a decision is made.
Before you decide
Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.
What matters most to me?
Think about symptoms, daily life, work, caring responsibilities, sport, fertility, travel, appearance and anxiety — the right choice depends on your priorities, not just the medical facts.
What are all my options?
Ask about waiting, monitoring, medicines, rehabilitation, a smaller or larger procedure, a different test, NHS referral, or a second opinion where that would help.
What would make me pause?
Active infection, pregnancy, unstable medical problems, smoking, medicines that increase bleeding, poor support at home, or feeling pressured are all reasons to slow down and get tailored advice.
What happens if I do nothing today?
For some problems, waiting is safe; for others, delay can make treatment harder. A good consultation should explain the trade-off in plain English.
Anaesthetic choices
The safest option depends on the operation, your health, the facility and your surgeon/anaesthetist. Ask what is planned and why.
Benefits
- Restores the bite so the teeth meet correctly after a jaw fracture
- Restores the shape and symmetry of the face
- Holds the bones in the right position while they heal
- Can correct double vision or a sunken eye from an eye-socket fracture
- Improves jaw movement when a fracture was blocking it
- Reduces the chance of bones healing in the wrong position
Risks & complications
- Swelling, bruising and soreness around the face for a couple of weeks
- Numbness or tingling near the broken bone (such as the lip, chin, cheek or upper lip)
- Limited mouth opening or an odd-feeling bite at first
- Scars at any skin cut sites, which usually fade over months
- Infection of a wound, around a plate, or in the bone, sometimes needing antibiotics
- A plate that can be felt, is uncomfortable, or occasionally aches in cold weather
- The bite not feeling quite right, sometimes needing adjustment
- Some residual asymmetry or a step in the bone
- Loosening of a tooth near the fracture line
- Bones failing to heal or healing in the wrong position (malunion or non-union), sometimes needing more surgery
- Lasting numbness if a nerve does not recover
- Bleeding behind the eye affecting vision (for fractures near the eye) — a surgical emergency
- Lasting double vision
- Serious problems related to the general anaesthetic
The biggest specific concerns depend on which bone is broken. For jaw fractures, restoring the bite and protecting the nerve that supplies feeling to the lip and chin matter most; numbness is common and usually improves but can be permanent. For fractures near the eye, the rare but serious risk is bleeding behind the eye that threatens vision — tell the team straight away about any change in sight. Smoking, poor healing and infection around plates are important risk factors. Ask your surgeon what result is realistic for your particular fracture.
Published figures to discuss
How well a facial fracture repair turns out depends mainly on the injury — which bones are broken, how displaced they are, and which nerves were damaged — rather than on the operation alone. Reliable single percentages are hard to give because outcomes vary so much by injury and site, so cautious wording is used here. Numbness recovery is judged over months, and the rare but serious eye risk is the reason for close monitoring when the eye is involved.
| Figure | Reported range | How to interpret it | Source / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numbness near the broken bone (e.g. lip, chin or cheek) | Common after the injury and surgery; usually improves over months, but can be permanent | Depends largely on the nerve injury at the time of the break; recovery is judged over several months. | ORIF of mandibular fractures — review (PMC)pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govSource-linked context |
| Wound, plate or bone infection | Uncommon overall, often low single figures in closed fractures; higher with poor mouth hygiene, smoking, open/compound fractures or delayed treatment | May need antibiotics and, occasionally, removal of a plate. | ORIF of mandibular fractures — review (PMC)pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govSource-linked context |
| Bones healing in the wrong position or not uniting (malunion/non-union) | Uncommon, generally low single figures in well-fixed closed fractures; higher with infection, smoking or comminution | May need further surgery to correct the bite or bone position. | ORIF of mandibular fractures — review (PMC)pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govSource-linked context |
| Bleeding behind the eye threatening vision (for fractures near the eye) | Rare, but a surgical emergency | Worsening eye pain or change in sight needs immediate attention; this is why the eye is monitored closely. | ORIF of mandibular fractures — review (PMC)pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govSource-linked context |
These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.
Recovery — what to expect, and when
Recovery depends heavily on which bones are broken and how complex the repair is. Swelling and bruising usually settle over a couple of weeks, the bone heals over about six weeks, and any numbness can take months to improve.
- Swelling and bruising of the face for the first couple of weeks
- Numbness or tingling near the broken bone that improves slowly
- Limited mouth opening and a soft or liquid diet for a time
- A bite that feels slightly different at first as swelling settles
- Tender, pink scars at any skin cut sites that fade over months
Aftercare
- Keep to the soft or liquid diet you are advised, especially after a jaw fracture.
- Keep your mouth clean with the mouthwash or salt-water rinses recommended, particularly if there are cuts inside the mouth.
- Use cool packs and keep your head raised early on to ease swelling.
- Take painkillers and any antibiotics exactly as prescribed.
- Do not smoke, as it slows bone healing and raises the risk of problems.
- Avoid contact sport and any risk of a further blow to the face until cleared.
- Protect healing scars from the sun once wounds have closed.
- Attend follow-up so the bite, healing, eye and any numbness can be checked.
- Scans and any eye or dental assessment done before surgery
- Soft or liquid foods and drinks ready at home
- Recommended painkillers and any antibiotics collected
- Mouthwash or salt for salt-water rinses
- A lift home arranged for the day of the general anaesthetic
- Time off work or school booked (often about 2 weeks or more)
- The team's contact number saved, and the emergency eye warning understood if relevant
Scars and how they heal
Where possible, the surgeon works through the inside of the mouth, leaving no external scar. When skin cuts are needed, they are placed in hidden creases, the hairline or near the eyelashes. External scars are pink and slightly firm at first and usually fade over a few months. Sun protection helps them settle. Ask your surgeon which cuts your repair will need and what scars to expect.
⚠ Get urgent help if…
- Worsening pain in or around the eye, or any change in or loss of vision (for fractures near the eye) — seek emergency help
- Spreading redness, heat, swelling or pus at a wound (possible infection)
- A high temperature or feeling generally unwell
- Bleeding that does not stop with gentle pressure
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing, or your airway feeling blocked — call 999
- A bite that suddenly feels very wrong, or the jaw not meeting properly
- Numbness that is getting worse rather than better
Who to contact: your surgeon or clinic first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.
General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your surgeon gives you.
Results & realistic expectations
A good repair restores the bite, the shape of the face and the function of the eye and jaw, with the bones healing in the right position. Swelling and bruising settle over a couple of weeks, and the bone heals over about six weeks.
Numbness near the broken bone often improves over several months but can be permanent, because it depends on the nerve injured at the time of the break. The bite occasionally needs fine adjustment, and some asymmetry can remain even after a careful repair. A good surgeon explains what result is realistic for your fracture and what to do urgently if your vision or breathing is affected.
Once facial fractures have healed in the correct position, the repair is generally permanent, and titanium plates usually stay in for life without problems. Occasionally a plate needs removing if it becomes loose, infected or can be felt and is troublesome. Numbness and any bite or vision problems are usually judged settled within several months. A further injury can, of course, cause new damage.
Combining with other procedures
Facial injuries often involve more than one bone, so several fractures may be repaired in the same operation — for example the jaw, cheek and eye socket together. Repair may be combined with reconstruction of the eye socket floor or other areas, and dental treatment for damaged teeth. Severe injuries are sometimes repaired in stages once swelling settles. Your surgeon will explain everything that needs doing and why.
Follow-up & long-term care
You will be reviewed after surgery to check the bite, wound healing, the position of the bones, the eye and any numbness, with further reviews as swelling settles over weeks and months. You should be told who to contact urgently for eye, airway or infection problems, and when it is safe to return to a normal diet, work and sport.
- Protect the face from further injury, especially in contact sport, until fully healed.
- Keep up good mouth hygiene, particularly after jaw fractures, to reduce infection risk.
- Report any numbness that is not improving, or a bite that feels wrong, so it can be reviewed.
- Mention a plate that becomes sore, loose or troublesome, as it can be removed.
- Attend reviews until the bite, eye and face shape are judged settled.
Revision and secondary surgery reality
- Some fractures need further surgery if the bite, bone position or symmetry is not satisfactory once healed.
- Bones that fail to unite or heal in the wrong position may need re-fixation or a graft.
- A plate may need removing if it becomes loose, infected or troublesome.
- The bite occasionally needs adjustment, and persistent numbness or double vision may need further assessment.
Ask your surgeon for their own revision rate, what counts as a revision, and what is included in the written aftercare policy.
What good aftercare looks like
- Clear written advice on diet, mouth care, painkillers and warning signs, with a named contact.
- Emergency instructions for eye or airway problems where the injury involves the eye or jaw.
- Early review of the bite, wounds and bone position, then later review of numbness and symmetry.
- A clear plan for returning to a normal diet, work and sport.
- Honest discussion of the realistic result and what to do if a problem persists.
What affects the cost
Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:
- Which bones are broken and how complex the repair is
- Whether the bones simply need repositioning or also need plates and screws
- Any reconstruction (such as eye-socket mesh or a bone graft)
- The general anaesthetic, theatre fees and length of stay
- Scans (such as CT) and any eye or dental assessment needed
- The surgeon's fee, any further staged surgery, and follow-up appointments
- The surgeon's fee and what the operation covers
- The general anaesthetic, theatre fees and expected length of stay
- Any implants used (plates, screws, mesh or graft)
- Scans and any eye or dental assessment before and after surgery
- Follow-up appointments and any planned staged surgery
- The cancellation policy
- What happens, and who pays, if a complication or further surgery is needed
On the NHS? Facial fracture repair is provided on the NHS as part of urgent care after facial injury; private care is uncommon for acute trauma but may be used for later review or correction.
You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.
Consent traps and marketing red flags
These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.
Consent traps
- Not explaining that numbness near the fracture is common and may not fully recover.
- Not making clear how the bite will be managed and whether wiring is needed.
- Not giving clear emergency instructions for eye or airway problems where relevant.
- Not discussing the chance of some residual asymmetry or a bite adjustment.
- No written aftercare plan or contact route for problems.
Marketing red flags
- Promising a perfect bite and perfectly symmetrical face after a complex injury.
- Describing repair as 'simple' without mentioning numbness, infection or the rare eye risk.
- Claiming numbness always fully recovers.
- Not explaining when a fracture can be safely monitored rather than operated on.
Choosing a surgeon safely
- Check your surgeon is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
- Make sure they practise at a CQC-registered location, and look for membership of bodies like BAAPS or BAPRAS.
- You're entitled to a two-stage consent process with time to reflect (a cooling-off period). The surgeon who will operate must consent you — not a salesperson.
- Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers, discounts or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
- You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.
Questions to ask your medical professional
Take this to your consultation. A good surgeon will welcome every one of these.
- Which bones are broken, and does my fracture genuinely need fixing or can it be monitored?
- Will my teeth need wiring or banding, and for how long?
- Which cuts will you use, and what scars and numbness should I expect?
- What is my risk of lasting numbness, a wrong bite, or asymmetry?
- If the eye is involved, what should I do urgently if my vision changes?
- When can I return to a normal diet, work and sport?
- Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
- Will you be the surgeon who carries out my operation, and who looks after me afterwards?
- What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
- What does a realistic result look like — and what can this operation not achieve?
- What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
- Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
- What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?
Frequently asked questions
Does every facial fracture need surgery?
Will I have to have my jaw wired shut?
Will I be left numb?
Do the plates have to come out?
Where will the scars be?
How long is the recovery?
What guidance is this information based on?
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How we made this page
Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →
Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.
Sources & standards: BAOMS — patient information on facial injuries ORIF of mandibular fractures — review (PMC) ORIF versus closed reduction of mandibular condyle fractures (PMC) NICE NG232 — Head injury: assessment and early management (2023)
Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.
Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.
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