Introduction
Osteomyelitis is an inflammation of the bone marrow caused by an infection. This inflammation can be either acute or chronic. It is not uncommon for such an infection to affect the jawbone. The lower jaw is affected up to six times more frequently than the upper jaw, which is mainly due to the fact that the vascular supply in this bone is poorer.
Causes
Causes for osteomyelitis in this location can be: damage to this area. The pathogens that can be responsible for such an inflammation are, among others
- Dental diseasesand
- Dental infections
- Dead teeth
- Removal of teeth (tooth extractions)
- Abscessesor
- Cysts in the oral cavity
- Open jaw fracturesJaw fracture
- Purulent sinusitisor also
- By irradiation
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Prevotella melaninogenica
- Enterococci
- Pseudomonasund
- Klebsiellen
Symptoms
The symptoms of osteomyelitis of the jaw differ depending on whether it is acute or chronic osteomyelitis. Fortunately, acute osteomyelitis is relatively rare nowadays, as it is a serious disease. Patients suffer from a greatly reduced general condition (severe disease state): are typical.
In some cases, individual teeth loosen and fall out and spontaneous fractures of the jawbone occur, as bone tissue is destroyed (these areas are called bone necroses, dead bone areas are also called sequesters). The local symptoms of chronic osteomyelitis are similar, but are not as sudden and are generally less severe. Systemic symptoms like fever are usually absent.
In addition, this clinical picture can also lead to:. Sometimes it also happens that the teeth do not fit together as well (occlusion problems). In severe cases this chronic form can persist for months or even years.
- The body temperature is increased
- Severe pain
- Swellings (thick cheek) and
- The river of pus
- Halitosis
- Malfunctionsand
- Swelling of lymph nodes (e.g. in the lower jaw)
Inflammation of the bone marrow in the jaw (osteomyelitis) can have various symptoms. Osteomyelitis often develops as a result of an abscess, for example after the removal of wisdom teeth. It is characteristic that after opening of the abscess the pain first disappears, but then comes back.
Osteomyelitis of the jaw is usually accompanied by pain. However, this pain does not have to be constant, more often the patient has an infection which is associated with pain, then a pain-free period follows in which the infection slowly spreads and then osteomyelitis in the jaw occurs, which is again associated with more pain. However, it is important to know that pain can occur in osteomyelitis of the jaw, but it does not give a clear indication and does not necessarily have to be present. Many patients have hardly any pain despite advancing osteomyelitis in the jaw, so it is important to pay attention to other symptoms such as swelling or displacement of the jaw. However, it is just as important not to ignore the pain and wait until it disappears – pain-free periods are not untypical despite progressive osteomyelitis in the jaw.
