There are a number of possible causes of facial trauma. Motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports injuries, interpersonal violence, and work related injuries. Facial trauma can range from damage of the teeth to extremely severe injuries of the soft tissues of the face and the underlying bones. Typically, facial trauma is classified as either soft tissue injury (lacerations of the skin and gums), bony injury (fracture of the jaw), or injury to special structures (tear ducts, facial nerves and salivary glands).

When soft tissue injuries such as lacerations occur on the face, they are repaired by suturing. In addition to the obvious concern of providing a repair that yields the best cosmetic result possible, care is taken to inspect for and treat injuries to structures such as facial nerves, salivary glands, and tear ducts.

Fractures of the bones of the face are treated in a manner similar to fractures of other bones of the body. The specific form of treatment required is determined by various factors, which include the location of the fracture, the severity of the fracture, and the age and general health of the patient. When an arm or a leg is fractured, a cast is often applied to stabilize the bone to allow for proper healing. Since a cast cannot be placed on the face or jaw, other means have been developed to stabilize facial and jaw fractures.

For some types of fractures, one of these methods involves wiring the upper and lower jaws together to stabilize them for healing. Certain other types of fractures of the are best stabilized by the surgical placement of small plates and screws at the involved site. This type of treatment allows healing without the necessity of having the jaws wired together. This technique is called "rigid fixation" of a fracture and its use has profoundly improved the recovery period for many patients, allowing them to return to normal function and activity more quickly.

The treatment of facial fractures should be accomplished in a thorough and predictable manner. More importantly, the patient's facial appearance should be minimally affected. An attempt is always made at accessing the facial bones through the least number of incisions necessary. The incisions that are required are designed to be small and, whenever possible, are placed in unobtrusive areas or completely hidden inside the mouth.