FACIAL ACTINOMYCOSIS FOLLOWING THE EXTRACTION OF LOWER THIRD MOLAR

ABSTRACT

Actinomycosis is chronic, granulomatous, suppurative and fibrosing disease caused by Actinomyces. Actinomyces are anaerobic, G(+), non-acid-fast, branched, filamentous bacteria. The most commonly found microorganism is Actinomyces israelii. Common site for isolation of actinomyces are dental plaque, dental caries, calculus, and tonsillar crypt. A breach in the integrity of the mucosa by direct trauma or following a fracture, tooth extraction, root canal therapy or some intraoral surgical procedure is thought to be the most likely portal of entry. This is a case report of 23 years old male with cervicofacial actinomycosis developed after extraction and treated with surgical excision and antibiotics.