Question: My son fell off his bike and hit the side of his face. His right jaw hurts and his bite has moved over to the right. What happened?

Dr. Herman's Answer: He most likely fractured the right condoyle of his lower jaw bone (mandible). This type of accident is the most common type of broken jaw. The severity of the break dictates the treatment needed to stabilize the bone while it heals. Treatment can be as simple as a maintaining a diet of soft foods or more intense such as placing braces on his teeth for several weeks. If left untreated, the jaw could heal crooked leaving not only an asymmetric bite, but his face will also look longer on the left side compared to the right. Surgery would be required if left untreated to correct the asymmetry. Only in rare circumstances does a broken condoyle cause growth problems. You should schedule an appointment with your child’s dentist or orthodontist for an evaluation.