Leaving a fractured cheekbone untreated can lead to a variety of severe and potentially permanent complications affecting not only appearance but also crucial bodily functions.
Significant Risks of Unaddressed Cheekbone Fractures
Untreated facial fractures, including those of the cheekbone (zygoma), pose numerous risks that can worsen significantly over time, impacting both health and quality of life. The consequences stem from improper healing, infection, and damage to surrounding nerves and tissues.
Functional Impairments
Ignoring a fractured cheekbone can lead to serious functional difficulties:
- Difficulty Breathing: Fractures can sometimes obstruct or compromise the airway, making breathing difficult.
- Difficulty Chewing: Misalignment of the bone can interfere with the proper function of the jaw and teeth, leading to chronic problems with eating and speaking.
- Permanent Visual Disturbances: Damage to the structures around the eye, which the cheekbone helps support, can result in blurred vision, double vision, or even impaired eye movement.
Structural and Aesthetic Consequences
Beyond function, untreated fractures can permanently alter facial structure and lead to severe medical issues:
- Bone Malalignment: If the fractured bone pieces do not heal correctly, they can result in a noticeable deformity or asymmetry of the face. This can range from subtle changes to significant disfigurement.
- Infected Bone (Osteomyelitis): A severe complication where bacteria infect the bone tissue. This can cause chronic pain, drainage, and may require extensive treatment, including surgery and long courses of antibiotics.
Neurological and Soft Tissue Damage
Trauma to the face that causes a cheekbone fracture can also harm delicate nerves and surrounding soft tissues, leading to a range of sensory and motor issues:
- Numbness: Damage to facial nerves can cause persistent numbness or altered sensation in parts of the face.
- Facial Muscle Spasms: Irritation or damage to nerves controlling facial muscles can lead to involuntary muscle contractions or twitching.
- Droopy Lips or Eyelids: Injury to the nerves and tissues that control facial expressions can result in an impaired ability to move the lips or eyelids, leading to a "droopy" appearance that affects both aesthetics and functions like blinking or speaking clearly.
The table below summarizes the potential complications:
| Category | Potential Complications |
|---|---|
| Functional | Difficulty breathing, chewing, visual disturbances |
| Structural | Bone malalignment, infected bone (osteomyelitis) |
| Neurological | Numbness, facial muscle spasms |
| Aesthetic | Facial asymmetry, droopy lips, droopy eyelids |
Importance of Prompt Medical Attention
Immediate medical evaluation and treatment are paramount for anyone suspected of having a fractured cheekbone. Ignoring such an injury significantly increases the risk of the long-term, irreversible damage described above.
- Seek Emergency Medical Care: Any significant facial trauma should prompt an immediate visit to an emergency room or a healthcare professional experienced in facial injuries.
- Accurate Diagnosis: A thorough examination, often involving advanced imaging techniques like X-rays or CT scans, is essential to precisely diagnose the fracture's location and severity.
- Timely Intervention: Depending on the nature of the fracture, treatment can range from conservative management and close observation to surgical intervention to realign and stabilize the bone. Prompt treatment can prevent complications, ensure proper healing, and restore facial structure and function.
