Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • Neurosurgery >
  • ... >
  • Brain >
  • Conditions >
  • Conditions >
  • craniofacial fracture
Neurosurgery
About Us
Contact Us
Conditions and Treatments
Brain
Conditions
Brain Tumors
Pituitary and Skull Base Tumors
Neurovascular
Cranial Nerve Disorders
Movement Disorders & Epilepsy
Chiari Malformation
Trauma & Injury
Treatments
Spine Neurosurgery
Neurophysiology
Meet the Neurosurgery Experts
Patient Stories
Classes, Events, & News
Neurocirugia
Neurosurgery
About Us
Contact Us
Conditions and Treatments
Brain
Conditions
Brain Tumors
Pituitary and Skull Base Tumors
Neurovascular
Cranial Nerve Disorders
Movement Disorders & Epilepsy
Chiari Malformation
Trauma & Injury
Treatments
Spine Neurosurgery
Neurophysiology
Meet the Neurosurgery Experts
Patient Stories
Classes, Events, & News
Neurocirugia

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

​Craniofacial Fracture Types, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

Craniofacial fractures (broken bones in your face) can be minor or complex and can happen in many ways.


Contact the UPMC Department of Neurosurgery

To make an appointment or learn more:

  • Call us at 1-412-647-3685 or outside the U.S., call 1-877-320-8762.
  • Fill out our UPMC Neurosurgery contact form.

On this page: 

  • What Is a Craniofacial Fracture?
  • What Are the Symptoms of a Craniofacial Fracture?
  • How Do You Diagnose a Craniofacial Fracture?
  • How Do You Treat a Craniofacial Fracture?

What Is a Craniofacial Fracture? 

A craniofacial fracture is a fracture to the face, orbits, and/or skull.

Depending on the extent of your fracture and your other injuries, you may need care from many UPMC specialists.

What are the types of craniofacial fractures?

The most common craniofacial fractures we see are:

Nasal bone –The most common type of craniofacial fracture, nasal bone fractures happen when the nose moves out of place from an impact.

Cranial bone –This is a skull fracture to one or more of the eight cranial bones:

  • Ethmoid
  • Frontal
  • Occipital
  • Parietal
  • Sphenoid
  • Temporal

Mandible (lower jaw) –A fracture of the lower jaw can make it hard to move the jawbone up and down to talk, chew, and breathe.

Zygoma (cheekbone) – A fracture to the arch of bones in the cheek may cause swelling to the face and tingling around the mouth.

Orbital bones (around the eye) – An orbital fracture is a fracture in a bone around the eye, including:

  • A blowout fracture affects the inner wall of the eye socket, pinching the nerve and keeping the eyeball from moving properly.
  • An orbital floor fracture pushes the bones around the eye socket downward and affects eye movement.
  • An orbital rim fracture affects the outer edges of the eye socket.

Maxilla (upper jaw) – There are three types of fractures to the upper fixed bones of the jaw:

  • LeFort I — A crack separates the upper jawbone and teeth from the other facial bones
  • LeFort II — Includes the upper jaw as well as the nasal bones.
  • LeFort III — Includes the eye sockets and the bridge of the nose, and is known as craniofacial separation.

What causes a craniofacial fracture?

Often, a craniofacial fracture occurs from direct trauma to the head and face.

What are the complications of craniofacial fractures?

Some craniofacial fractures have complications that need neurosurgical treatment.

For instance:

  • A dislodged bone in the skull may compress the optic nerve and cause vision issues.
  • A fractured bone may tear the dura — the membrane that protects the brain — and cause a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak.

UPMC experts treat both optic nerve compression and CSF leaks with the Endoscopic Endonasal Approach (EEA). This minimally invasive technique uses the nose and nasal cavities as natural access points for hard-to-reach areas or inoperable tumors.

Pros of EEA include:

  • Faster recovery time.
  • No disfigurement.
  • No incision to heal.

Back to top.


What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Craniofacial Fracture? 

Symptoms of a craniofacial fracture include:

  • Changes in vision.
  • Concussion.
  • Dizziness.
  • Feeling faint or tired.
  • Pain.
  • Trouble concentrating.
  • Vomiting.

Back to top.


How Do You Diagnose a Craniofacial Fracture?

To diagnose a craniofacial fracture, your doctor may order imaging studies, such as:

  • CT scan
  • MRI
  • X-rays

Your doctor may also perform a neurological exam or exams of your ear or nose to check for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks.

Back to top.


How Do You Treat a Craniofacial Fracture? 

At UPMC, we look at craniofacial fractures from every angle to find a treatment that will least disrupt your:

  • Ability to return to normal functioning.
  • Brain.
  • Critical nerves.

Minimally invasive surgery for craniofacial fractures

UPMC surgeons may use the Endoscopic Endonasal Approach (EEA) to repair CSF leaks or to decompress the optic nerve.

EEA lets surgeons see and fix your injury without making an incision. They do this technique through the nose and nasal cavities, and recovery is faster than with a traditional method.

Our neurosurgical team may suggest both surgery and nonsurgical treatments for the best returns.

Back to top.


By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2024-10-01.

UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login