Facial Plastic Treatment for Trauma and Fractures

There are 14 facial bones and eight skull or cranial bones, and every fracture deserves careful repair. Trust a board certified facial plastic surgeon to repair not only the outer appearance of your face following injury, but the underlying structure and function as well. While our goal is to return your appearance back to how it was before injury, we can also use the opportunity to improve your features, if that’s something you’d like to explore. We meticulously plan fracture repair to maximize recovery and optimize appearance. 

Additionally, even if you’ve had a scar for years, there are both nonsurgical and surgical treatments we can use to minimize its appearance.

Facial trauma concerns we treat

• Dog bites - Facial injury from a dog bite requires meticulous repair given the potential involvement of muscles, loss of flesh and the irregular edges of the wounds. Dogs can cause considerable damage to face and neck skin, as well as the supporting muscles and structure. We use a variety of techniques to ensure maximum restoration to movement and optimal appearance with minimal scarring.
• Facial lacerations - Cuts on the face should be treated by a facial plastic surgeon who has been trained in the techniques required to minimize scarring. Cuts to the face or neck deserve the attention of a qualified facial plastic surgeon to minimize scarring while also taking into account any nerve, muscle or tissue damage.

Facial fractures we treat

When facial bones are broken, treatment requires careful planning and delicate technique. The facial plastic surgeons at Ohio State have specialized training and certification in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. And because we are otolaryngologists (ear, nose and throat physicians), we are also very aware of the structural implications and breathing issues related to facial fractures.

• Frontal fracture - Injury to the frontal sinus may be isolated, but often occurs along with more complex breaks in the face or skull.
  Mandible fracture or broken jaw - Whether a simple or compound break, we will repair this injury with the goal of restoring your profile while maximizing function.
• Midface fracture - These breaks occur in the midsection of your face, either in the center or to a side. These types of fractures can involve the maxilla, the zygoma, orbit or the naso-orbital-ethmoid complex.
• Nasal fracture - The nose is the most commonly broken facial bone, and both bone or cartilage can be involved. A break not only impacts a person’s looks, but may also affect breathing.
• Naso-orbito-ethmoid fracture - Known as a NOE fracture, this injury involves the central, upper portion of the midface and can be extremely complex because so many bones and the medial canthal tendon may be involved.
• Orbital fracture - This includes any break to the bones around the eye socket. These delicate bones require careful repair to restore appearance and protect vision.
• Zygomatic fracture - Abbreviated to ZMC fracture, this may also be categorized as a tripod, tetrapod, quadripod, malar or trimalar fracture. These bones play a significant role in the structure and function of the face, and treatment should also consider impact on vision and potential decrease of sensation in the upper-cheek skin, lateral nose, upper lip and gums.
• Zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture - This type of break involves the four bone structures of the cheek. Also known as a quadripod fracture or a quadramalar fracture, it is formerly referred to as a tripod fracture or trimalar fracture. With this fracture, there is often loss of sensation in the cheek and upper lip due to nerve damage.

Treatment options for facial trauma and fractures

• Dog bite laceration repair
• Fracture repair
• Laceration repair
• Scar revision - Even if you’ve had a scar for years, there are both nonsurgical and surgical treatments we can use to minimize its appearance.