Symptoms Of Jawbone Infections
Pain in the mouth or jaw. Jaw stiffness. Facial swelling. Redness and tenderness.
Although quite rare, an infected jawbone can occur and when it does, could necessitate immediate medical intervention. The condition typically occurs when microbial infections reach the bone through abscessed teeth, periodontal (gum) lesions, or traumatic injury.
A blood test or imaging test such as an x-ray can tell if you have a bone infection. Treatment includes antibiotics and often surgery.
Osteomyelitis is a bone infection caused by bacteria or fungi. It causes painful swelling of bone marrow, the soft tissue inside your bones. Without treatment, swelling from this bone infection can cut off blood supply to your bone, causing bone to die.
Leaving an infection to spread to your facial bones may eventually necessitate surgical removal to stop it. Even in minor cases, a tooth infection can cause the bone structures of your jaw to weaken, making it hard to support your teeth.
Treatment for osteomyelitis
You'll usually take antibiotics for 4 to 6 weeks. If you have a severe infection, the course may last up to 12 weeks. It's important to finish a course of antibiotics even if you start to feel better.
an intense, throbbing pain in the affected tooth or gum that may come on suddenly and gets gradually worse. pain that spreads to your ear, jaw and neck on the same side as the affected tooth or gum. pain that's worse when lying down, which may disturb your sleep.
Diagnosis and Tests
Your dentist can also use X-rays to determine if the infection has spread and may be affecting other areas. Recommend a CT scan. If the infection has spread to other areas within the neck, this will help to identify the extent of the infection.
If the infection is limited to the abscessed area, you may not need antibiotics. But if the infection has spread to nearby teeth, your jaw or other areas, your dentist will likely prescribe antibiotics to stop it from spreading further. Your dentist may also recommend antibiotics if you have a weakened immune system.
Clindamycin and moxifloxacin have excellent bioavailability in bone tissue, and either is recommended.
Panoramic X-rays
As the name suggests, a panoramic X-Ray shows the entire mouth in one picture. The purpose of this type of X-Ray is not to show details like cavities. Rather, they are meant to show bone abnormalities, fractures, cysts, impacted teeth, infections, and tumors.
If left untreated, it may take a few more weeks or months for the infection to spread to other tissues and cause complications. However, once this has happened, death can occur quickly. Factors like older age, having diabetes, or being immunocompromised can increase your risk of complications from a dental abscess.
The patient should seek emergency help if the infection has become so painful and cannot be managed with over-the-counter medication. If the patient has developed a fever, has chills, is vomiting, or exhibiting other symptoms of having a dental abscess.
Signs of Tooth Infection Spreading to Body
Extreme sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures, especially food and drinks. Pain that radiates from the tooth outward. Swelling in the cheeks or gums. Constant bad breath.
A dental abscess is a build-up of pus in the teeth or gums caused by an infection. It needs urgent treatment by a dentist. A dental abscess will not go away on its own.
Not all infections trigger sepsis, but sepsis is always triggered by an infection and this infection can be anywhere, including in the mouth. An untreated dental infection can cause sepsis. Bacteria can also enter the body through the gumline or any breaks in the gum, cheeks, even palate.
Even a routine tooth extraction can lead to this serious condition. In osteomyelitis of the jaw, the bone becomes infected, and eventually necrotic, which means the bone dies and has to be removed.
In some cases, osteomyelitis can be a serious condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Osteomyelitis may spread to the bloodstream and lead to a widespread infection.
At present, diagnosis of osteomyelitis is primarily performed through panoramic radiography, oral cavity photography, and clinical diagnostic examination [7]. Among these, this study pays particular attention to the role of panoramic radiography.
Historically, osteomyelitis of the jaws was a common complication of odontogenic infection (infections of the teeth). Before the antibiotic era, it was frequently a fatal condition.
As the Mayo Clinic notes, your dentist may prescribe an antibiotic such as amoxicillin for abscessed tooth treatment to keep the infection from spreading to nearby teeth, your jaw or other facial structures. They may also recommend an antibiotic for abscessed tooth if you have a weakened immune system.
It depends on the severity of the underlying condition.
TMJ symptoms last anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks. Some TMJ disorders can last months or years.