Traumatic facial injuries happen when least expected and often require urgent management with an expert. These types of injuries can affect both the soft (skin and gum tissue) and hard (bone and cartilage) tissues of the face, mouth, and jaws.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a unique and very important joint that assists with many daily activities such as chewing and speaking. However, when this intricate joint does not function properly, it can lead to various unpleasant symptoms and difficulty with simple tasks such as opening and closing of the mouth. An overview of TMJ disorders will show how the joint itself is affected and how these debilitating disorders are treated with both conservative and surgical treatments.