Neonatal osteomyelitis: An unusual complication of natal tooth extraction

Abstract

Osteomyelitis of mandible, if it affects the neonate presents as a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to the clinician. Symptoms and signs are often non-specific, and the consequences of a missed diagnosis could lead to long-lasting functional limitations. A rare case of a 52 days old infant with osteomyelitis of the mandible following natal tooth extraction is presented in this report. The diagnosis, pathogenesis and management have been explained. The accompanying review briefly summarizes the main clinical, pathophysiological and radiological aspects of the condition and gives an update on the treatment.

Keywords

• Mandible
• natal tooth
• neonatal osteomyelitis