Jaw Fracture Surgery: Procedure, Recovery Time & Cost Explained

A broken jaw changes everything.

One moment you are fine. The next moment you are in pain. You cannot chew. You cannot open your mouth properly. Every word hurts. Every movement hurts.

I am Dr. Harsh Jain. I am an oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Dr. Jain's Dental in Noida. I have been fixing broken jaws for over twenty-two years. I have seen every kind of jaw fracture. Road accidents. Sports injuries. Falls. Fights. Even simple trips on the stairs.

If you or someone you love needs jaw fracture surgery, you want to know what happens. How bad is it? How long does recovery take? How much does it cost?

Let me explain everything in plain language.

What Happens When You Break Your Jaw?

The jaw is not one bone. It is two bones. The upper jaw is fixed to your skull. The lower jaw moves. That moving part is what usually breaks.

A fracture means the bone is cracked or broken into pieces. Sometimes it is a clean break. Sometimes the bone shatters into multiple pieces. Sometimes the break happens near the joint, where the jaw connects to the skull. We call that a subcondylar fracture .

I treated a case recently where a patient had a severely displaced subcondylar fracture. The bone pieces were completely out of place. We had to reduce the fracture and plate it back together .

Do You Need Surgery for a Broken Jaw?

Not every jaw fracture needs surgery. Very small cracks with no displacement can sometimes heal on their own with rest and soft food.

But most jaw fractures need surgery. Here is why.

When the bone pieces are out of place, they will not heal straight. They heal crooked. That means your teeth do not line up anymore. You cannot chew properly. Your face looks different. You get pain in the joint.

Surgery puts the bones back where they belong. We fix them in place so they heal straight.

The signs that you need surgery include:

• Your teeth do not meet properly when you close your mouth
• You cannot open your mouth wide
• There is numbness in your lip or chin
• You can see or feel the bone moving
• The pain is severe

The Jaw Fracture Surgery Procedure Step by Step

Let me walk you through exactly what happens during jaw fracture surgery.

Before Surgery

You come to the hospital. We take X-rays. Sometimes a CT scan. We need to see exactly where the bone is broken and how bad it is.

You meet the anesthesiologist. They check your health. Jaw surgery happens under general anesthesia. You are completely asleep. You feel nothing .

We wait for the swelling to go down. If you just got injured, your face will be swollen. Surgery right away is harder. We usually wait a few days. About one week after injury is common .

The Day of Surgery

You go to the operating room. You fall asleep.

I make incisions to reach the broken bone. Most of the time, I work inside your mouth. No visible scars on your face. Sometimes, if the break is very low or near the joint, I need to make a small cut on the outside. Under your jaw where the scar hides .

I clean out the area. Remove any small bone pieces that cannot be saved. Then I put the main bone pieces back in the right position. We call this reduction.

Once the bones are lined up correctly, I hold them in place with small titanium plates and screws. These are tiny. They stay inside your body forever. They are strong enough to hold the bone while it heals .

Sometimes I also use IMF screws. These are temporary screws that help wire your jaws shut during healing .

The surgery takes two to five hours depending on how complex the break is .

After Surgery

You wake up in the recovery room. Your jaw will be sore. You will have swelling. You might have numbness. All of this is normal .

You stay in the hospital for a few days. Usually five to seven days to make sure everything is healing well and you are stable .

Recovery Time After Jaw Fracture Surgery

Recovery takes patience. You cannot rush bone healing.

First Two Weeks

The swelling is at its worst. You use ice packs. You take pain medicine. You eat only liquids. Soups. Juices. Milkshakes. Protein drinks. Everything goes through a straw or a syringe.

You rest. No work. No heavy activity.

Two to Six Weeks

Swelling goes down. You start feeling better. You still eat soft foods. Mashed potatoes. Scrambled eggs. Dal without chunks. Yogurt. You cannot chew anything hard.

Your jaw may be wired shut or held together with rubber bands. This keeps the bones stable while they heal .

Six to Twelve Weeks

The bone is healing. You slowly start eating softer solid foods. Rice. Soft bread. Cooked vegetables. You still avoid hard, crunchy, or chewy things.

Most people go back to work after four to six weeks. Office jobs. Desk work. If you have a physical job, you need more time.

Three Months and Beyond

By three months, the bone is usually healed enough for normal eating. You can go back to your regular diet. The bone continues to strengthen for up to a year .

Recovery Tips for Better Healing

I tell all my patients these things to help them heal faster.

Follow the food rules. Do not cheat and eat something hard just because you feel better. You can break the plates or screws.

Keep your mouth clean. Brushing is hard with a sore jaw, but you must do it. Use a soft toothbrush. Rinse with warm salt water.

Do not smoke. Smoking ruins bone healing. If you smoke, your bone takes longer to heal and might not heal at all. Stop for at least a few months .

Go to your follow up appointments. I need to see how you are healing. I take X-rays to check the bone. I make sure everything is on track.

Cost of Jaw Fracture Surgery in Noida

This is the hardest question because every case is different.

The cost depends on:

• How many breaks you have
• How many plates and screws you need
• How many days you stay in the hospital
• The hospital you choose
• Your insurance coverage

For a simple fracture, the surgery cost can range from one to two lakh rupees. For complex fractures with multiple breaks, it goes higher. This is an estimate based on typical cases in Noida.

Medical insurance usually covers jaw fracture surgery because it is trauma. But check with your provider. If the accident was someone else's fault, like a car crash, there may be third party coverage .

At Dr. Jain's Dental, I give you a clear estimate before surgery. You know exactly what you are paying for.

Why Choose Dr. Jain's Dental for Jaw Fracture Surgery

You have options in Noida. Let me tell you why patients choose me.

I am an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. That is my specialty. I do not just pull teeth. I operate on faces and jaws. I have been doing it for over twenty-two years .

I am a Gold Medalist in my field. I am a professor who teaches other surgeons. I am a life member of the Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India .

I have treated every kind of jaw fracture. Simple ones. Complex ones. Ones that other surgeons said could not be fixed. I use the best techniques and materials.

Dr. Roli Jain is our cosmetic expert. After the bone heals, if you need any cosmetic work on your teeth, she handles that. She is known as the best cosmetic dentist in noida .

Together, we make sure you get full care. From emergency to final smile.

That is why people call us the best dentist in noida for complex cases.

What About Cosmetic Concerns After Jaw Fracture?

Sometimes after a jaw fracture, your teeth get damaged. A tooth might crack. A tooth might die and turn dark.

Once your jaw heals, we look at your teeth. Dr. Roli Jain fixes them. Crowns. Veneers. Fillings. Whatever you need to make your smile beautiful again.

This is why having both a surgeon and a cosmetic dentist in one place matters. You do not have to go to different clinics. We handle everything.

Jaw Fracture Surgery Comparison Table

Here is a simple table to help you understand what to expect at each stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are real questions from real patients who came to me after breaking their jaw.

1. How painful is jaw fracture surgery?

During surgery you are asleep. You feel nothing. After surgery, there is pain. But we give you medicine. Most patients say the pain is manageable. It gets better every day.

2. Will I have scars on my face?

Most jaw surgery is done through incisions inside your mouth. No visible scars. If an outside incision is needed, I put it in a natural crease where it hides. Over time, it fades .

3. How long do I need to stay in the hospital?

Usually five to seven days. We monitor you, manage pain, and make sure you are eating and healing well before sending you home .

4. When can I eat normal food again?

Soft foods for the first six weeks. Then gradual progression. By three months, most people eat normally. Listen to your body and my instructions .

5. Will my teeth line up properly after surgery?

Yes. That is the whole point. I put the bones back exactly where they belong so your teeth meet correctly when you bite.

6. Do the plates and screws need to be removed later?

No. They are titanium. They stay in your body forever. They do not cause problems. Only remove them if they ever bother you, which is rare.

7. Can I go back to work during recovery?

Desk jobs can resume after four to six weeks. Physical jobs need more time. I tell you exactly when based on your job and your healing.

8. Does insurance cover jaw fracture surgery?

Most medical insurance covers trauma surgery. Check with your provider. If the accident was someone else's fault, their insurance may cover it .

9. What makes Dr. Jain's Dental the best dentist in noida for this?

I am a specialist oral surgeon with over twenty-two years of experience. I have done thousands of jaw surgeries. I teach other surgeons. You are in expert hands .

10. Do you also handle cosmetic work after the jaw heals?

Yes. Dr. Roli Jain is the best cosmetic dentist in noida. She fixes any teeth damaged in the accident. Crowns, veneers, whitening. Whatever you need to smile confidently again .

Conclusion

Breaking your jaw is scary. The pain. The swelling. Not knowing what comes next.

But you are not alone. At Dr. Jain's Dental, we have helped thousands of people through this. We know what to do. We know how to fix it. We know how to help you heal.

If you need jaw fracture surgery, come see me. Let me examine you. Let me look at your X-rays. Let me tell you exactly what needs to happen and how long it will take.

I am recognized as the best dentist in noida for facial trauma. Dr. Roli Jain is known as the best cosmetic dentist in noida for making smiles beautiful again.

Call us today. Do not wait. The sooner we start, the sooner you heal.

Your jaw will be okay. We will make sure of it.