Dental infections Flashcards
Common features of dentoalveolar abscess
-Severe pain
-Tenderness on percussion
Pain in Dentoalveolar abscess caused by
Inflammatory mediators-> Kinins and Histamines
Increased pressure-> Fluid exudates
Pain can be relieved by
Evacuation of pus
Extraction of tooth
Removal of infected pulp
Spread of infection governed by
-Virulence of microorganisms
-Position of tooth in alveolus (relation of apices of muscle/proximity to lingual and buccal surfaces)
Lack of treatment of Dentoalveolar abscess leads to
Chronic Dentoalveolar abscess-> Granuloma
The granuloma has potential to
Stimulate epithelial cells-> cyst formation
Acute phase radiographically
Loss of lamina dura
Ill defined margins
Chronic abscesses/apical granuloma radiographically
Well circumscribed radiolucency
Barriers against the spread of infection
-Bone
-Muscle
-Fascia
-Neurovascular bundles
-Skin
Most common routes of spread of infection
- upper lip
- canine fossa
- infraorbital region
- buccal space
- palate
- submasseteric
- retropharyngeal;
- lateral pharyngeal
- pterygomandibular space
- infratemporal fossa
- parotid space
- buccinator space
- suprahyoid region
– submandibular space
– submental space
– sublingual space
Infection of upper lip originates from
upper anterior teeth
spreads on to the orbicularis muscle from the labial sulcus between the levator labii superioris muscle and the levator angularis oris muscle.
Infection of upper lip
Infection to canine fossa originates from
Maxillary canine or upper premolar teeth
Infection of this space can cause circumorbital infection
Canine fossa
Muscle that controls spread of infection in buccal space
Bucinator
Infection in buccal space originates from
Maxillary and mandibular molars
Usually confined to cheeck
Buccal space infection
Infection of buccal space may spread to
-Temporal space
-Submandibular space
-Masseteric space
-Skin-> Fistula formation
Infection of palate originates from
-Maxillary lateral incisor
-Palatal roots of posterior teeth
Infection of this site very painful due to tightly bound tissue
Palate
Infection of this space manifests as trismus
Pterygomandibular space
Source of infection of Submasseteric space
Lower third molar pericoronitis
Severe trismus characteristic of this space
Submasseteric space due to spasm of masseter muscle
Infection of infratemporal space from
Maxillary molars
Infratemporal space infection causes
-Pain with mouth opening
-Dysphagia
-Difficult lateral mandibular movements
Infratemporal space infection can spread to
Orbit
infection of parotid space is from
-Middle ear or mastoid region
-Masseteric space -Lateral pharyngeal space
Infection in submandibular space spreads from
Posterior mandibular teeth lingually below mylohyoid muscle
Infection of submandibular space causes
-Pain
-Redness of skin in region
-Dysphagia
Submental space infection arises from
Mandibular teeth through lingual cortex
Swelling of submental space causes
-Pain
-Difficulty swallowing
-Buccal spread-> swelling of labial sulcus and over chin
Infection in lingual space due to
Perforation of lingual cortex
Infection of lingual space leads to
-Tongue displacement
-Compromised airway
-Dysphagia and difficult speech
Infection of pharyngeal space originates from
-Mandibular molars
-Third molar pericoronal suppuration
Infection of pharyngeal space may cause
-Stiffness of neck
-Swelling of lateral wall of pharynx
-Dysphagia
-Trismus
Same clinical features as infection of lateral pharyngeal space
Retropharyngeal space
Has significant risk of descending neck infection
Retropharyngeal space
