Life-threatening infections of odontogenic or upper airway origin may extend to potential spaces formed by fascial planes of the lower head and upper cervical area. Complications include airway obstruction, mediastinitis, necrotizing fascitis, cavernous sinus thrombosis, sepsis, thoracic empyema, Lemierre's syndrome, cerebral abscess, orbital abscess, and osteomyelitis. The incidence of these "space infections" has been greatly reduced by modern antibiotic therapy. However, serious morbidity and even fatalities continue to occur. This study reviews complications of odontogenic infections. The search done was based on PubMed and Google Scholar, and an extensive published work search was undertaken. Advanced MEDLINE search was performed using the terms "odontogenic infections," "complications," and "risk factors."

Subdural empyema of odontogenic origin.

A review of complications of odontogenic infections.

Intracranial abscesses of odontogenic origin.

Summary Introduction Cerebral abscess is a rare but serious and life-threatening infection. Dental infections have occasionally been reported as the source of bacteria for such an abcess. Patient and methods A 54-year-old man was admitted with a right hemiparesis and epileptic fits. After clinical, laboratory and imaging examination, the diagnosis of a cerebral abscess of the left parietal lobe was made. The intraoral clinical examination as well as a panoramic radiograph confirmed the presence of generalized periodontal disease, multiple dental caries, and periapical pathology. The treatment included: (i) Immediate administration of high-dose intravenous antibiotics and (ii) surgical procedures consisting of craniotomy and resection of the abscess cavity first, and secondly removal of the periodontal, decayed and periapically involved teeth of the patient, in an effort to eradicate all the possible septic foci, presuming the cerebral abscess to be of odontogenic infection. Results The patient made an uneventful recovery, and 29 months postoperatively he had completely recovered from the hemiparesis.

Cerebral abscess of odontogenic origin.

Brain abscess is a rare and threatening infection, which is in a suppuration area, caused either by trauma, neurosurgical complication, or by a secondary infection of dental origin complication. The infectious process spread from the start focus can occur in 2 ways: hematogenous or by contiguity. The treatment should ideally be based on the etiological factor excision, combined with drainage and antibiotics as adjuvant; this philosophy is not observed in the reports described in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. This study's goal was to report a case of brain abscess consequent of an odontogenic outbreak, where an adequate treatment was set up, but it was already in advanced stages and had as a result the lethal outcome. Complications from the odontogenic infections have a low incidence, but should never be disregarded, because they can lead to death, as described in this manuscript.

Subdural empyema of odontogenic origin.

Citations

A review of complications of odontogenic infections.

Intracranial abscesses of odontogenic origin.

Cerebral abscess of odontogenic origin.

Brain abscess of odontogenic origin.