ODONTOGENIC OROFACIAL SPACE INFECTIONS

Course overview

ODONTOGENIC AND OROFACIAL INFECTIONS ARE RARE BUT IMPORTANT SEQUELAE OF DENTAL INFECTIONS. DENTAL CARE AND THE EVALUATION, TREATMENT, AND FOLLOW-UP OF THESE SEQUELAE AFFECT PROVIDERS OF MANY MEDICAL DISCIPLINES. TREATING THESE INFECTIONS IN THE EARLY STAGES CAN BE SIMPLE AND CONFER MINIMAL MORBIDITY. HOWEVER, DELAY IN TREATMENT CAN ALLOW THESE INFECTIONS TO REQUIRE MANY TREATMENTS BY AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM AND LEAD TO PERMANENT DISABILITY OR DEATH. DENTAL DISEASE IS EASILY PREVENTABLE, MAKING THESE INFECTIONS A GOOD TARGET FOR MANY PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION STRATEGIES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ANATOMY, MICROBIOLOGY, EVALUATION, TREATMENT, PREVENTION, AND OPTIMIZATION OF MANAGING INFECTIONS SECONDARY TO ODONTOGENIC AND OROFACIAL SOURCES.