OUR SERVICES
Facial Trauma
Emergency and reconstructive care for injuries to the mouth, jaws, facial bones, and surrounding soft tissues.
Procedures We Offer
Mandible fractures
Zygomatic fractures
Orbit fractures
Maxilla fractures
About This Service
Bluebird Oral Surgery is proud to be Central Oregon's leading provider of comprehensive facial trauma care. Whether the injury is a simple fracture or a complex facial reconstruction, our team offers hospital-level expertise with a compassionate, patient-first approach — available both in our office and at St. Charles Medical Center.
What to Know
We offer flexible care depending on your needs. Many injuries — including minor fractures, soft-tissue wounds, and isolated dental trauma — are treated efficiently in our fully equipped outpatient surgical suite. For multi-system or severe injuries, we provide surgical care at St. Charles Medical Center, where our surgeons are active members of the trauma service. We welcome both urgent and elective consultations, whether you are a provider seeking help with a patient or an individual who recently experienced an injury.
Procedure Details
Led by Fellowship-Trained, Experienced Trauma Surgeons
Dr. Amir Azari completed a fellowship in craniomaxillofacial trauma and reconstruction in Melbourne, Australia, and serves as Division Chief of Maxillofacial Trauma and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in Central Oregon, collaborating with the trauma teams at St. Charles Health System.
Dr. Welch and Dr. Schlam both completed rigorous hospital-based oral and maxillofacial surgery programs with extensive exposure to high-acuity trauma cases, managing facial injuries with precision and care.
Care That Spans Office and Hospital Settings
In-office: minor fractures, soft-tissue wounds, and isolated dental trauma are treated comfortably in our outpatient surgical suite.
Hospital-based: for multi-system or severe injuries, we provide surgical care at St. Charles Medical Center as active members of the trauma service.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration for Comprehensive Care
Facial trauma doesn’t happen in isolation, and neither does our approach. We work hand-in-hand with Central Oregon’s top providers to restore the full spectrum of your health and function — from vision and breathing to esthetics and bite alignment:
ENT (ear, nose, and throat) surgeons
Plastic and reconstructive surgeons
Ophthalmologists and optometrists
Trauma and ICU teams
Hospitalists and primary care providers
What We Treat
Fractured jaws (mandible and maxilla)
Cheekbone and zygomatic arch fractures
Orbital (eye socket) fractures
Midface (Le Fort) injuries
Dental and alveolar trauma
Facial lacerations and soft-tissue wounds
Acute trauma and delayed complications, including poorly healed fractures and bite disturbances
Available for Urgent & Elective Consults
From the ER to the exam room, we deliver high-level trauma care with small-town accessibility. Whether you are a provider seeking help with a facial trauma patient or an individual who recently experienced an accident or injury, we offer prompt consultations and coordinated care across settings.
Understanding Orbital Wall Fractures
What is an orbital wall fracture? It is a break in the thin bones that form the eye socket (orbit), often caused by trauma to the face from a fall, sports injury, or accident. These fractures may involve one or more walls of the orbit, most commonly the floor or medial wall. You may experience swelling or bruising around the eye, double vision (diplopia), a sunken appearance of the eye (enophthalmos), or pain with eye movement and numbness around the cheek.
Do all orbital fractures need surgery? No — most do not. Surgery is only considered for persistent double vision that does not improve within about a month or that affects your ability to move your eyes and function, or for noticeable enophthalmos when the eye remains visibly sunken about a month after the injury once swelling has resolved.
Why see an ophthalmologist? Regardless of whether surgery is needed, it is very important to have your eye examined after an orbital injury. An ophthalmologist will check your visual acuity, confirm the eyeball itself is healthy, and monitor for internal damage or changes in pressure — ensuring any hidden damage is identified and treated early.
What to expect during recovery: swelling and bruising typically improve over 1–2 weeks. If you were told to avoid blowing your nose, follow this strictly to prevent complications. You may be prescribed pain medication or decongestants as needed, and follow-up appointments let your surgeons and ophthalmologist monitor healing and decide whether surgery is needed later. Next steps: attend all follow-up appointments, see an ophthalmologist if you haven’t already, and report any changes in vision or eye position.
Understanding Zygomatic (Cheekbone) Fractures
What is a zygomatic fracture? It is a break in the cheekbone (zygomatic bone), which shapes your face and forms part of your eye socket. These injuries often result from trauma to the side of the face — a fall, sports injury, or accident. Common symptoms include swelling and bruising over the cheek or around the eye, limited mouth opening from muscle tightness or joint involvement, numbness in the cheek, upper lip, or lower eyelid from pressure on a nearby nerve, and changes in facial shape such as flattening or widening of the cheek.
What happens after the injury? Limited jaw movement and facial numbness are common right away and often improve gradually over several weeks as swelling subsides and nerves recover. Within the first 1–2 weeks swelling goes down, and any visible changes in facial contour — such as flattening or widening on one side — become more noticeable if the fracture has shifted the cheekbone.
When is surgery needed? Not all zygomatic fractures require surgery — many minor or non-displaced fractures heal well on their own. Surgery may be recommended when the cheekbone has noticeably shifted, causing facial asymmetry or a flattened appearance, to restore your natural facial shape. Timing matters: surgery is typically done within the first month, because after that the bone begins to heal in its current position and correction becomes much more difficult.
Monitoring your healing: swelling and bruising usually improve within 1–2 weeks, jaw mobility gradually returns over several weeks, and facial numbness slowly improves, though in some cases it may persist longer. Once swelling subsides, watch for changes in the shape of your face (one side looking flatter or wider), persistent difficulty opening your mouth, or noticeable asymmetry in the mirror — these may be signs that surgery could help. Next steps: monitor for changes in facial appearance as swelling improves, follow up with your surgical team for assessment within the first month, and notify your provider if symptoms worsen or new concerns arise.
Understanding Mandibular (Lower Jaw) Fractures
What is a mandibular fracture? It is a break in the lower jawbone, often caused by trauma such as a fall, sports injury, or accident. The mandible is essential for chewing, speaking, and facial structure, so an injury here can be uncomfortable and disruptive. Common symptoms include pain when moving the jaw, difficulty chewing or opening your mouth, swelling or bruising along the jawline, numbness in the lower lip or chin from nerve involvement, and misalignment of the teeth or bite.
What happens after a jaw fracture? Immediately after the injury, patients usually have trouble chewing and need soft or pureed foods, experience pain, swelling, and sometimes difficulty speaking clearly, and feel numbness in the lower lip or chin — which often improves over time, though in some cases it can be long-lasting or permanent.
Do all jaw fractures need surgery? No, but many do — treatment depends on how severe or displaced the fracture is. Our surgeons carefully review your CT scan to determine the type and severity of the fracture and decide whether surgical repair is necessary based on how much the bone has moved. Displaced fractures, where the bone is out of alignment, typically require surgery to bring the jaw back into the correct position, often using small plates and screws to hold the bones while they heal. Wiring the teeth together is not always necessary — in many cases, patients heal with normal jaw mobility after surgery.
What about minor fractures? If the fracture is non-displaced and your bite is stable, you may not need surgery. The jaw can heal on its own with careful management, including a soft diet and limited jaw movement.
Eating and chewing after a jaw fracture: regardless of whether surgery is needed, chewing should be avoided for the first month to allow the bone to heal properly, with soft, blended, or liquid foods during this time. Your care team will guide you on transitioning back to a regular diet safely.
What to expect during recovery: swelling and bruising improve in the first 1–2 weeks, pain decreases gradually but may persist when moving the jaw, and numbness of the lower lip and chin is common and usually improves with time, though in some cases it can be long-term or permanent. Follow-up visits are essential to monitor healing and adjust your care. Next steps: follow instructions on eating and jaw rest, keep all follow-up appointments, monitor for changes in sensation or bite alignment, and contact your surgeon if pain worsens or new symptoms appear.
Procedures We Offer
Mandible fractures
Zygomatic fractures
Orbit fractures
Maxilla fractures
About This Service
Bluebird Oral Surgery is proud to be Central Oregon's leading provider of comprehensive facial trauma care. Whether the injury is a simple fracture or a complex facial reconstruction, our team offers hospital-level expertise with a compassionate, patient-first approach — available both in our office and at St. Charles Medical Center.
What to Know
We offer flexible care depending on your needs. Many injuries — including minor fractures, soft-tissue wounds, and isolated dental trauma — are treated efficiently in our fully equipped outpatient surgical suite. For multi-system or severe injuries, we provide surgical care at St. Charles Medical Center, where our surgeons are active members of the trauma service. We welcome both urgent and elective consultations, whether you are a provider seeking help with a patient or an individual who recently experienced an injury.
Procedure Details
Led by Fellowship-Trained, Experienced Trauma Surgeons
Dr. Amir Azari completed a fellowship in craniomaxillofacial trauma and reconstruction in Melbourne, Australia, and serves as Division Chief of Maxillofacial Trauma and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in Central Oregon, collaborating with the trauma teams at St. Charles Health System.
Dr. Welch and Dr. Schlam both completed rigorous hospital-based oral and maxillofacial surgery programs with extensive exposure to high-acuity trauma cases, managing facial injuries with precision and care.
Care That Spans Office and Hospital Settings
In-office: minor fractures, soft-tissue wounds, and isolated dental trauma are treated comfortably in our outpatient surgical suite.
Hospital-based: for multi-system or severe injuries, we provide surgical care at St. Charles Medical Center as active members of the trauma service.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration for Comprehensive Care
Facial trauma doesn’t happen in isolation, and neither does our approach. We work hand-in-hand with Central Oregon’s top providers to restore the full spectrum of your health and function — from vision and breathing to esthetics and bite alignment:
ENT (ear, nose, and throat) surgeons
Plastic and reconstructive surgeons
Ophthalmologists and optometrists
Trauma and ICU teams
Hospitalists and primary care providers
What We Treat
Fractured jaws (mandible and maxilla)
Cheekbone and zygomatic arch fractures
Orbital (eye socket) fractures
Midface (Le Fort) injuries
Dental and alveolar trauma
Facial lacerations and soft-tissue wounds
Acute trauma and delayed complications, including poorly healed fractures and bite disturbances
Available for Urgent & Elective Consults
From the ER to the exam room, we deliver high-level trauma care with small-town accessibility. Whether you are a provider seeking help with a facial trauma patient or an individual who recently experienced an accident or injury, we offer prompt consultations and coordinated care across settings.
Understanding Orbital Wall Fractures
What is an orbital wall fracture? It is a break in the thin bones that form the eye socket (orbit), often caused by trauma to the face from a fall, sports injury, or accident. These fractures may involve one or more walls of the orbit, most commonly the floor or medial wall. You may experience swelling or bruising around the eye, double vision (diplopia), a sunken appearance of the eye (enophthalmos), or pain with eye movement and numbness around the cheek.
Do all orbital fractures need surgery? No — most do not. Surgery is only considered for persistent double vision that does not improve within about a month or that affects your ability to move your eyes and function, or for noticeable enophthalmos when the eye remains visibly sunken about a month after the injury once swelling has resolved.
Why see an ophthalmologist? Regardless of whether surgery is needed, it is very important to have your eye examined after an orbital injury. An ophthalmologist will check your visual acuity, confirm the eyeball itself is healthy, and monitor for internal damage or changes in pressure — ensuring any hidden damage is identified and treated early.
What to expect during recovery: swelling and bruising typically improve over 1–2 weeks. If you were told to avoid blowing your nose, follow this strictly to prevent complications. You may be prescribed pain medication or decongestants as needed, and follow-up appointments let your surgeons and ophthalmologist monitor healing and decide whether surgery is needed later. Next steps: attend all follow-up appointments, see an ophthalmologist if you haven’t already, and report any changes in vision or eye position.
Understanding Zygomatic (Cheekbone) Fractures
What is a zygomatic fracture? It is a break in the cheekbone (zygomatic bone), which shapes your face and forms part of your eye socket. These injuries often result from trauma to the side of the face — a fall, sports injury, or accident. Common symptoms include swelling and bruising over the cheek or around the eye, limited mouth opening from muscle tightness or joint involvement, numbness in the cheek, upper lip, or lower eyelid from pressure on a nearby nerve, and changes in facial shape such as flattening or widening of the cheek.
What happens after the injury? Limited jaw movement and facial numbness are common right away and often improve gradually over several weeks as swelling subsides and nerves recover. Within the first 1–2 weeks swelling goes down, and any visible changes in facial contour — such as flattening or widening on one side — become more noticeable if the fracture has shifted the cheekbone.
When is surgery needed? Not all zygomatic fractures require surgery — many minor or non-displaced fractures heal well on their own. Surgery may be recommended when the cheekbone has noticeably shifted, causing facial asymmetry or a flattened appearance, to restore your natural facial shape. Timing matters: surgery is typically done within the first month, because after that the bone begins to heal in its current position and correction becomes much more difficult.
Monitoring your healing: swelling and bruising usually improve within 1–2 weeks, jaw mobility gradually returns over several weeks, and facial numbness slowly improves, though in some cases it may persist longer. Once swelling subsides, watch for changes in the shape of your face (one side looking flatter or wider), persistent difficulty opening your mouth, or noticeable asymmetry in the mirror — these may be signs that surgery could help. Next steps: monitor for changes in facial appearance as swelling improves, follow up with your surgical team for assessment within the first month, and notify your provider if symptoms worsen or new concerns arise.
Understanding Mandibular (Lower Jaw) Fractures
What is a mandibular fracture? It is a break in the lower jawbone, often caused by trauma such as a fall, sports injury, or accident. The mandible is essential for chewing, speaking, and facial structure, so an injury here can be uncomfortable and disruptive. Common symptoms include pain when moving the jaw, difficulty chewing or opening your mouth, swelling or bruising along the jawline, numbness in the lower lip or chin from nerve involvement, and misalignment of the teeth or bite.
What happens after a jaw fracture? Immediately after the injury, patients usually have trouble chewing and need soft or pureed foods, experience pain, swelling, and sometimes difficulty speaking clearly, and feel numbness in the lower lip or chin — which often improves over time, though in some cases it can be long-lasting or permanent.
Do all jaw fractures need surgery? No, but many do — treatment depends on how severe or displaced the fracture is. Our surgeons carefully review your CT scan to determine the type and severity of the fracture and decide whether surgical repair is necessary based on how much the bone has moved. Displaced fractures, where the bone is out of alignment, typically require surgery to bring the jaw back into the correct position, often using small plates and screws to hold the bones while they heal. Wiring the teeth together is not always necessary — in many cases, patients heal with normal jaw mobility after surgery.
What about minor fractures? If the fracture is non-displaced and your bite is stable, you may not need surgery. The jaw can heal on its own with careful management, including a soft diet and limited jaw movement.
Eating and chewing after a jaw fracture: regardless of whether surgery is needed, chewing should be avoided for the first month to allow the bone to heal properly, with soft, blended, or liquid foods during this time. Your care team will guide you on transitioning back to a regular diet safely.
What to expect during recovery: swelling and bruising improve in the first 1–2 weeks, pain decreases gradually but may persist when moving the jaw, and numbness of the lower lip and chin is common and usually improves with time, though in some cases it can be long-term or permanent. Follow-up visits are essential to monitor healing and adjust your care. Next steps: follow instructions on eating and jaw rest, keep all follow-up appointments, monitor for changes in sensation or bite alignment, and contact your surgeon if pain worsens or new symptoms appear.
Procedures We Offer
Mandible fractures
Zygomatic fractures
Orbit fractures
Maxilla fractures
About This Service
Bluebird Oral Surgery is proud to be Central Oregon's leading provider of comprehensive facial trauma care. Whether the injury is a simple fracture or a complex facial reconstruction, our team offers hospital-level expertise with a compassionate, patient-first approach — available both in our office and at St. Charles Medical Center.
What to Know
We offer flexible care depending on your needs. Many injuries — including minor fractures, soft-tissue wounds, and isolated dental trauma — are treated efficiently in our fully equipped outpatient surgical suite. For multi-system or severe injuries, we provide surgical care at St. Charles Medical Center, where our surgeons are active members of the trauma service. We welcome both urgent and elective consultations, whether you are a provider seeking help with a patient or an individual who recently experienced an injury.
Procedure Details
Led by Fellowship-Trained, Experienced Trauma Surgeons
Dr. Amir Azari completed a fellowship in craniomaxillofacial trauma and reconstruction in Melbourne, Australia, and serves as Division Chief of Maxillofacial Trauma and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in Central Oregon, collaborating with the trauma teams at St. Charles Health System.
Dr. Welch and Dr. Schlam both completed rigorous hospital-based oral and maxillofacial surgery programs with extensive exposure to high-acuity trauma cases, managing facial injuries with precision and care.
Care That Spans Office and Hospital Settings
In-office: minor fractures, soft-tissue wounds, and isolated dental trauma are treated comfortably in our outpatient surgical suite.
Hospital-based: for multi-system or severe injuries, we provide surgical care at St. Charles Medical Center as active members of the trauma service.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration for Comprehensive Care
Facial trauma doesn’t happen in isolation, and neither does our approach. We work hand-in-hand with Central Oregon’s top providers to restore the full spectrum of your health and function — from vision and breathing to esthetics and bite alignment:
ENT (ear, nose, and throat) surgeons
Plastic and reconstructive surgeons
Ophthalmologists and optometrists
Trauma and ICU teams
Hospitalists and primary care providers
What We Treat
Fractured jaws (mandible and maxilla)
Cheekbone and zygomatic arch fractures
Orbital (eye socket) fractures
Midface (Le Fort) injuries
Dental and alveolar trauma
Facial lacerations and soft-tissue wounds
Acute trauma and delayed complications, including poorly healed fractures and bite disturbances
Available for Urgent & Elective Consults
From the ER to the exam room, we deliver high-level trauma care with small-town accessibility. Whether you are a provider seeking help with a facial trauma patient or an individual who recently experienced an accident or injury, we offer prompt consultations and coordinated care across settings.
Understanding Orbital Wall Fractures
What is an orbital wall fracture? It is a break in the thin bones that form the eye socket (orbit), often caused by trauma to the face from a fall, sports injury, or accident. These fractures may involve one or more walls of the orbit, most commonly the floor or medial wall. You may experience swelling or bruising around the eye, double vision (diplopia), a sunken appearance of the eye (enophthalmos), or pain with eye movement and numbness around the cheek.
Do all orbital fractures need surgery? No — most do not. Surgery is only considered for persistent double vision that does not improve within about a month or that affects your ability to move your eyes and function, or for noticeable enophthalmos when the eye remains visibly sunken about a month after the injury once swelling has resolved.
Why see an ophthalmologist? Regardless of whether surgery is needed, it is very important to have your eye examined after an orbital injury. An ophthalmologist will check your visual acuity, confirm the eyeball itself is healthy, and monitor for internal damage or changes in pressure — ensuring any hidden damage is identified and treated early.
What to expect during recovery: swelling and bruising typically improve over 1–2 weeks. If you were told to avoid blowing your nose, follow this strictly to prevent complications. You may be prescribed pain medication or decongestants as needed, and follow-up appointments let your surgeons and ophthalmologist monitor healing and decide whether surgery is needed later. Next steps: attend all follow-up appointments, see an ophthalmologist if you haven’t already, and report any changes in vision or eye position.
Understanding Zygomatic (Cheekbone) Fractures
What is a zygomatic fracture? It is a break in the cheekbone (zygomatic bone), which shapes your face and forms part of your eye socket. These injuries often result from trauma to the side of the face — a fall, sports injury, or accident. Common symptoms include swelling and bruising over the cheek or around the eye, limited mouth opening from muscle tightness or joint involvement, numbness in the cheek, upper lip, or lower eyelid from pressure on a nearby nerve, and changes in facial shape such as flattening or widening of the cheek.
What happens after the injury? Limited jaw movement and facial numbness are common right away and often improve gradually over several weeks as swelling subsides and nerves recover. Within the first 1–2 weeks swelling goes down, and any visible changes in facial contour — such as flattening or widening on one side — become more noticeable if the fracture has shifted the cheekbone.
When is surgery needed? Not all zygomatic fractures require surgery — many minor or non-displaced fractures heal well on their own. Surgery may be recommended when the cheekbone has noticeably shifted, causing facial asymmetry or a flattened appearance, to restore your natural facial shape. Timing matters: surgery is typically done within the first month, because after that the bone begins to heal in its current position and correction becomes much more difficult.
Monitoring your healing: swelling and bruising usually improve within 1–2 weeks, jaw mobility gradually returns over several weeks, and facial numbness slowly improves, though in some cases it may persist longer. Once swelling subsides, watch for changes in the shape of your face (one side looking flatter or wider), persistent difficulty opening your mouth, or noticeable asymmetry in the mirror — these may be signs that surgery could help. Next steps: monitor for changes in facial appearance as swelling improves, follow up with your surgical team for assessment within the first month, and notify your provider if symptoms worsen or new concerns arise.
Understanding Mandibular (Lower Jaw) Fractures
What is a mandibular fracture? It is a break in the lower jawbone, often caused by trauma such as a fall, sports injury, or accident. The mandible is essential for chewing, speaking, and facial structure, so an injury here can be uncomfortable and disruptive. Common symptoms include pain when moving the jaw, difficulty chewing or opening your mouth, swelling or bruising along the jawline, numbness in the lower lip or chin from nerve involvement, and misalignment of the teeth or bite.
What happens after a jaw fracture? Immediately after the injury, patients usually have trouble chewing and need soft or pureed foods, experience pain, swelling, and sometimes difficulty speaking clearly, and feel numbness in the lower lip or chin — which often improves over time, though in some cases it can be long-lasting or permanent.
Do all jaw fractures need surgery? No, but many do — treatment depends on how severe or displaced the fracture is. Our surgeons carefully review your CT scan to determine the type and severity of the fracture and decide whether surgical repair is necessary based on how much the bone has moved. Displaced fractures, where the bone is out of alignment, typically require surgery to bring the jaw back into the correct position, often using small plates and screws to hold the bones while they heal. Wiring the teeth together is not always necessary — in many cases, patients heal with normal jaw mobility after surgery.
What about minor fractures? If the fracture is non-displaced and your bite is stable, you may not need surgery. The jaw can heal on its own with careful management, including a soft diet and limited jaw movement.
Eating and chewing after a jaw fracture: regardless of whether surgery is needed, chewing should be avoided for the first month to allow the bone to heal properly, with soft, blended, or liquid foods during this time. Your care team will guide you on transitioning back to a regular diet safely.
What to expect during recovery: swelling and bruising improve in the first 1–2 weeks, pain decreases gradually but may persist when moving the jaw, and numbness of the lower lip and chin is common and usually improves with time, though in some cases it can be long-term or permanent. Follow-up visits are essential to monitor healing and adjust your care. Next steps: follow instructions on eating and jaw rest, keep all follow-up appointments, monitor for changes in sensation or bite alignment, and contact your surgeon if pain worsens or new symptoms appear.
Schedule a Consultation
Most procedures begin with a referral from your dentist or physician. Contact us to discuss your needs and confirm coverage before your visit.