Causes

• A broken or dislocated jaw is a common facial injury. The jaw (mandible) is the only mobile bone of the face (it holds the lower teeth). The term "upper jaw" sometimes also refers to the bone that extends from the upper teeth to the eyes (maxilla). The mandible is connected to the temporal bone of the skull by a hinged joint located in front of the ears (temporal-mandibular joint). Strong muscles extend from the mandible to the skull.
• A dislocated jaw occurs when the mandible is displaced from one or both of the temporal-mandibular joints(TMJ). Fractures (breaks in the bone) of the mandible may occur at the site of injury and on the opposite side of the jaw. If the upper jaw bone (maxilla) is also fractured, the trauma may have been severe enough to involve multiple areas of the face, neck, and back.
• The most common cause of broken or dislocated jaw is accident or trauma involving a blow to the face. This may be the result of a motor vehicle accident, industrial accident, recreational/sports injury, or other accident. It may also result from assault.

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