Symptoms

One must differentiate between acute and chronic osteomyelitis. The acute form is not so frequent due to the wide spread of antibiotics. If one suffers from it, the body temperature is elevated, one feels depressed and is not really fit, the number of white blood cells is increased and the blood pressure drops faster.

Pus accumulates intra-orally or extra-orally, which can spread diffusely (see: Pus in the jaw). If the inflammation is not treated, the tooth may loosen and bone tissue may die. In chronic osteomyelitis, abscesses, fistulas or an inflammatory accumulation of substances usually develop in the lower jaw.

In a more advanced stage, dead tissue can be rejected. The above-mentioned symptoms, including tooth loosening, can occur. Pain occurs because the supplying nerve is affected and its supply area is affected.

This can lead to numbness of the area supplied by the nerve. In both cases, a tumor can also be the cause, which must be clarified by a tissue sample (biopsy). In the upper jaw, osteomyelitis is usually limited to the alveolar process, which is thickened.

The surrounding gums appear swollen and reddened. The upper lip and cheek region may also be swollen. The affected teeth are loosened and pus flows out.

Abscesses, fistulas etc. can also develop. Dead tissue is less common than in the lower jaw and there is a risk of it spreading into the maxillary sinus.

Learn more about this under: Abscess in the upper and lower jawA possible symptom of an inflammation of the jaw is earache. Due to the anatomically very close proximity of the jaw, especially the temporomandibular joint, the external auditory canal and the middle ear, jaw problems can also spread to the area of the ear. An inflammation of the jaw can irritate certain facial and/or cranial nerves.

Since these nerves usually supply several areas, the irritation can also cause pain in the ear area. In the case of an inflammation of the jaw, however, the ear pain does not usually occur alone, but is accompanied by other symptoms such as paralysis or pain in other areas of the face. In the case of an inflammation of the jaw, a distinction can be made between an acute and a chronic form.

Acute inflammation is usually accompanied by severe pain, fatigue, fever and other symptoms. In contrast, a chronic inflammation can be accompanied by alternating phases of severe pain and symptom-free phases.Depending on the location of the inflammation in the jawbone, pain-free phases are also possible. This is particularly dangerous because the inflammation can spread over a large area unnoticed. However, as soon as it reaches the area of a nerve, severe pain occurs.