If a person's face appears misaligned after a jaw injury, which bone is likely to be broken?

A misalignment of the face after a jaw injury is most likely associated with a fracture of the mandible, which is the lower jawbone. The mandible plays a crucial role in the facial structure and is responsible for the movement of the jaw, including the ability to open and close the mouth. When the mandible is injured, its ability to properly align and connect with the maxilla (the upper jawbone) can be affected, leading to noticeable facial misalignment.

Injuries to the mandible can occur in various ways, including fractures caused by trauma, falls, or accidents, and these can disrupt the overall symmetry of the face. As a key component of the lower facial structure, any disruption can easily lead to misalignment, as the mandible directly impacts the positioning of the muscles and skin of the lower face.

While the other bones listed (maxilla, temporal bone, zygomatic bone) are also important components of the facial skeleton, they do not typically lead to significant misalignment of the facial structure in the same way that a broken mandible does. The maxilla supports the upper teeth and forms part of the eye sockets, the temporal bone is involved in lateral skull structure and ear function, and the zyg