Facial Trauma

Compassionate Care for Complex Injuries

Maxillofacial injuries, or facial trauma, refer to any injury sustained to the mouth, face, or jaw. These often result from events such as car crashes, sports-related accidents, falls, acts of violence, or workplace injuries. Patients may experience damage to teeth, skin, soft tissue, and bone.

In most cases, those suffering from facial trauma require immediate medical attention. As maxillofacial surgeons, Dr. Sean Healy and Dr. Diego Hurtado coordinate with local hospitals to repair and reconstruct damage to the mouth and surrounding structures. Patients in and around Santa Fe, NM, can rely on their expertise for comprehensive, transformative care to restore both form and function to the face.

Types of Facial Trauma

Severe facial trauma is typically categorized into three main types: soft tissue injuries, bone injuries, and tooth-related injuries.

Soft Tissue Injuries
These include cuts or lacerations to the skin, gums, facial nerves, and salivary glands. Our surgeons can often repair these wounds using small, precise stitches. While some movement restriction may be necessary during healing, soft tissue injuries tend to recover more quickly than fractures.

Bone Injuries
When fractures occur in the upper or lower jaw, treatment requires stabilizing the bone so it can heal correctly. Depending on the severity of the injury, our surgeons may use small plates or wires to secure the jaw. Plates allow greater comfort and flexibility, while wires provide enhanced stability for more complex breaks.

Teeth and Surrounding Areas
Facial trauma often involves broken or missing teeth. Dr. Healy and Dr. Hurtado can extract damaged teeth and replace them with dental implants to restore appearance and bite function. Our office proudly offers Nobel Biocare dental implants, made from safe, biocompatible materials for lasting results.

Because recovery depends on the nature and severity of the injury, our surgeons create personalized treatment and aftercare plans for every patient.

Choosing a Qualified Surgeon

Facial trauma often involves multiple systems of the face, requiring collaboration between various specialists such as oral surgeons, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, and reconstructive specialists.

At the Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center of Santa Fe, our surgeons perform advanced maxillofacial procedures using the latest technology and a compassionate, patient-centered approach. CT scans, cone beam imaging, and Panorex x-rays allow Dr. Healy and Dr. Hurtado to plan precise, effective treatments in a safe and comfortable environment.

Restore Function to Your Smile

Coping with facial trauma can be overwhelming, especially when it affects such a visible and essential part of your appearance. Dr. Healy, Dr. Hurtado, and our dedicated surgical team provide expert care to restore the health, structure, and confidence of every patient.

If you or a loved one has suffered a facial injury, contact our office in Santa Fe, NM, for immediate assistance. Our team will help you begin the process of recovery and restoration.

Call (505) 557-3728 or contact us online to schedule a consultation or emergency evaluation.

See why our patients love us

My son had his wisdom teeth removed by Dr Hurtado. He had absolutely no swelling or pain whatsoever after the procedure. He even stopped taking pain medicine after the first day, as he stated he did not have any pain and didn't need it. I am truly impressed with this staff and procedure done at this office. I highly recommend them to any parents who are looking for an easy wisdom tooth extraction for their kiddos. Thank you to the Doc and his lovely staff!

Dr Diego Hurtado and his office and staff are just wonderful. Dr Hurtado answered all my many questions respectfully and with much patience and kindness. The extraction went well and the healing process also. He saw me for a follow up. He even noted that I should check out an unrelated tooth with my local dentist which turned out to have a cavity. He is a highly observant oral surgeon that goes the extra mile. I highly recommend him.

Dr. Healy and his team provided excellent care for me when I had my wisdom teeth extracted. The preoperative instructions were clear and the surgery day was very organized and went according to plan. I woke up from the procedure without any pain and I only needed one dose of the medication prescribed for the recovery period. Dr. Healy’s office followed up to see how I was doing and I really felt cared for. I recommend Dr. Healy to my friends and family and I would happily return to the practice!

Dr. Healy has performed surgical wisdom teeth removal on both my teenagers and they both had a positive experience. I noticed that even within one years time he changed his practice so when it came to my daughter we followed her regime as given and her recovery went even better than my son's. Dr. Healy has a great patient manner and develops trust with his patients. He takes his time and explains things very well. Thank you Dr. Healy for doing such a great job with both my children. The dental assistants are wonderful!

The entire staff all have hearts of gold. Dr. Healey and his assistant Charlie were amazing with my wisdom teeth extraction. Not only did Dr. Healey have an excellent and professional yet warm and caring manner to him, he truly knows his stuff. I had zero fears about my surgery and I am glad my experience was with him. Highly recommended!