A broken jaw can be a very serious injury that can cause severe pain, swelling, numbness, bleeding, and difficulty chewing and talking.
Typical costs:
Without health insurance, diagnosis and treatment for a broken jaw typically includes the cost of the X-ray, a facility fee and a doctor fee for a typical total of less than $1,000 for a minor jaw fracture that requires rest and pain medication up to $10,000 to $30,000 or more for a severe jaw fracture that requires surgery. Dental and gum injuries can add tens of thousands to the bill, depending on severity. A jaw X-ray costs an average of $310, according to NewChoiceHealth.com[1] , but some providers charge $1,000 or more. A typical doctor fee for non-surgical treatment of a fracture would include $90 to $200 for an office visit and could also include $250 to$950 for a procedure, such as realignment, or $2,000 or more for surgery, according to Carolina Orthopaedic Surgery Associates[2] .
Treatment for a broken jaw typically is typically covered by health insurance. A patient with insurance would typically pay an X-ray copay, an office visit copay and coinsurance of 10% to 50% percent for the procedure. The cost probably would reach the yearly out-of-pocket maximum if surgery is required.
For a minor jaw fracture, treatment might consist of rest, pain medication and a diet of liquid or soft foods.
For a more severe jaw fracture, the doctor might use general anesthesia and perform surgery to wire the jaw to increase stability during healing, or to insert hardware. Recovery takes six to eight weeks and requires a diet of liquid or soft foods.
The National Institutes of Health[3] offers a primer on jaw fractures and treatment.
Additional costs:
A broken jaw might require immediate emergency medical treatment, so additional costs might include an ambulance ride to the hospital, which could cost $500 to $1,000 or more, and an emergency room visit fee of $500 or more.
If there are post-surgery complications, such as infection or allergic reaction to hardware, this could add thousands of dollars to the final bill. Infections typically occur in about 15%of patients. Treatment would include antibiotics, wound care and possibly removal of fixation devices, and the cost could reach $5,000 or more.
Discounts:
Some hospitals and oral and maxillofacial surgeons offer discounts for uninsured patients, cash-paying patients or patients who pay within a certain timeframe. For example, Washington Hospital Healthcare System[4] in California offers a 35%discount for uninsured patients as well as a financial assistance program for qualifying uninsured patients. And King Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Center[5] in California offers discounts for cash-paying patients.
Shopping for a broken jaw:
A broken jaw is considered a medical emergency, so it might be necessary to seek treatment at a hospital emergency room. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon should evaluate the break. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons[6] offers a surgeon locator, but it is necessary to verify board certification by contacting the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
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I HAD MY JAW BROKEN 7 YEARS AGO, AND THIS PAST MONTH ONE OF THE "TINY"SCREWS CONNECTED TO THE PLATE THEY PUT IN MY MOUTH IS NO LONGER CONNECTED TO MY PLATE AND STILL DISLODGED IN THE BACK OF MY MOUTH.NOW I NEED A CAT SCAN BEFORE THEY, AT K U MED CENTER CAN KNOW HOW TO GO ABOUT WORKING ON MY JAW AGAIN. AND I HAVE NO INSURANCE AS OF JUNE 30th. THE PAIN IS SO... OVERBEARING!!!!
2 fractures on my right side of chin. Had arch bars with wires for 4 weeks, arch bars with rubber bands for an additional 2 weeks. The arch bars were hybrids which mean they were screwed into my jaw. I was in a motorcycle accident and had 2 completely broken legs (tibia, fibia and femur...so upper and lower bones and an ankle), 5 broken ribs, a fractured skull, both lungs collapsed, brain bleeding and 3 herniated disks in my back. The jaw fractured were worse than any other injuries I sustained. I was unable to eat for a month (which lead to gallstones! and gallbladder removal!) which delayed all the other fractures healing processes. It was beyond painful for the application and removal of the bars. It was terribly irritating to not be able to open my mouth which caused difficulties breathing (which were likely mental. If you think you can't breathe, you will give yourself a hard time). I would never agree to this procedure again. I would choose either arch bars only or IMF screws
This guy punched me blind side while I was talking to someone. Almost knocked me out. One punch broken jaw. I had to have emergency surgery. Surgeon cost $7,000 Anesthesiologist cost $1,500 and the hospital charged $7,000 for one night.
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