overview of odontogenic infections. When to refer?

ABSTRACT

Dental and Medical practitioners as well as specialists in medicine and dentistry are often faced with the challenge of managing patients with infections. These infections can range in their severity from those that may only require antibiotic therapy to those that may require aggressive surgical intervention. Oral and maxillofacial infections, in particular, have the tendency to spread rapidly along fascial planes and if left untreated they may lead to highly morbid clinical conditions with severe complications that may ultimately lead to death. Careful diagnosis and sound clinical judgment have the potential to reduce morbidity associated with odontogenic infections. The success of these treatments are, in part, dependent on the virulence of the pathogen involved, the resistance of the host and strict adherence to sound medical, pharmacological and surgical principles. An overview of the principles of antibiotic therapy, diagnostic laboratory and imaging studies and the principles of surgical management will be presented