Yeah, breaking my jaw wasn't bad at all. Hell, we were rolling around town for days with my jaw broken clean in two, and none of us had any idea... {uneasy laugh} Ok, so that's a slight exaggeration, but yeah, the hospital didn't realize my jaw was broken, it wasn't until we visited a dentist recommended by Lily that we realized my jaw was, indeed, broken. So yeah, breaking my jaw wasn't really that bad. Healing it, otoh, takes patience.

Broken cheeks are pretty small game, as I understand it. Being primarily cosmetic and non-functional damage, it may require surgery to fix, but it's a comparatively cheap and simple surgery where your primary concern is how you look at the end.

A broken jaw (sadly, a far more common injury) is a far bigger issue, as the jaw is obviously fundamental to many parts of the human experience. Eating, drinking, talking, biting, singing, and even licking your lips -- all utilize the jaw, and if that doesn't heal to its full strength and versatility, the loss of functionality is severe. The repair is appropriately more difficult, as the jaw can only be taken out of service to heal for so long.

The surgeon fixed my various face fragments together with some plates and screws he slid in through incisions on the inside of my mouth (two plates for the cheek and jaw each, if I recall correctly), and also wired my jaws shut to immobilize them while the bones do their initial healing.

Having your mouth wired shut is insanely obnoxious. I do not recommend it. For one thing, the wires cut into your cheeks and are painful. Also, it makes it difficult/impossible to relax your jaw, as the position it's held in seems to keep the muscles clenched in reflex (or at least that's how it feels). And of course, you can't eat solid foods. Or take undissolved pills (ugh). Or lick your lips and teeth clean. It sucks. The wiring should only last for two weeks at worst, though, and at best could come off in a few days. That will be nice. :)