ABSTRACT
Maxillofacial injuries that require hospital attendance are common and are most frequently related to trips and falls, road traffic accidents, taking part in sports and inter personal violence. Initial assessment requires a focused history of the mechanism of injury and a general medical and social history, followed by clinical examination. Maxillofacial bone fractures can be divided into several types: simple, compound, comminuted, complicated, greenstick and pathological. Lacerations are a result of crushing injuries where the soft tissues are compressed onto the underlying bone, usually by a blunt object. Sharp implements, such as a knife or glass, cause incised wounds. The history should include the mechanism of injury, past medical history and the postinjury events. The primary survey is aimed at protection of the airway, control of bleeding, restoration and maintenance of the circulation and assessment for neurological deficits, including the Glasgow Coma Scale score, with cervical spine control.
