Severe Facial Injuries

Also known as: facial trauma, facial injuries, maxillofacial injuries.

What are severe facial injuries?

Facial injuries involve the face and/or upper jaw and include injuries to the skin, facial bones, nose, sinuses, eye socket or teeth.

What causes severe facial injuries?

In children common causes include falls, motor vehicle accidents, contact sports, cheerleading, gymnastics and cycling, or during projects done at home.

What are the symptoms of severe facial injuries?

Facial injuries can present with deep cuts (lacerations), bruises (and if around the eyes widening the distance between them), broken bones (fractures), pain, and bleeding from nose, mouth, or ear. As a head and/or eye injuries may occur at the same time, the infant/child should be checked for those too.

What are severe facial injury care options? 

Treatment will depended on the location, type, and severity of the injury and may include first aid measures, medications and surgery.

Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: July 06, 2021 03:09 PM