This paper presents a case of rhinocerebral mucormycosis in a 22-year-old female patient with type I diabetes mellitus, who was successfully treated with surgery and long-term antifungal medication. The patient had initially been submitted to extraction of an upper third molar by a general dental practitioner but was referred to our department three days postoperatively because of double vision. Immediately following histopathological confirmation of the infection, the patient was administered Amphotericin B and Posaconazole intravenously. Surgical excision of the affected site was relatively conservative. The patient was free of the disease 15 months after initial admission to the hospital and has recently returned for reconstruction. The aim of this paper is to increase the awareness of general dental practitioners regarding uncommon serious conditions in diabetic patients, which may be confused with periodontal or dental diseases.

Palatal perforation is a lesion of various etiologies, including chronic intranasal abuse of cocaine. Only a few data, however, correlate this damage with heroin. The growing intranasal abuse of heroin and the fact that it is one of the five most popular drugs in most European countries, especially in the lower social classes, increase the need for further investigation of its effects on the oral cavity and nasopharynx. This report presents a case of chronic snorting of heroin, which caused perforation of the hard palate, the diagnostic approach, the selected surgical technique, the final outcome, as well as a review of literature.