Ectopic mandibular third molar leading to osteomyelitis of condyle: a case report with literature review

Abstract

This particular case may be the unique of its kind, as recent literature did not reveal any case where an ectopic mandibular third molar led to osteomyelitis of the condyle. Diagnosis and management in such cases deserve very special attention to rule out various local and systemic causes which can cause osteomyelitis to affect very unusual site like mandibular condyle. The aim of surgical intervention should be to cause minimum morbidity without affecting the functional efficiency of the mandibular condyle. In this report, we also have proposed the indications for surgical intervention to remove ectopically erupted teeth.

Dentigerous Cyst Associated with an Ectopic Tooth in the Subcondylar Area: A Case Report and Literature Review

“…Ectopic teeth are those that are impacted in unusual positions or that have been displaced and are at a distance from their normal anatomic location (Iglesias-Martin et al, 2012;Lambade et al, 2013) and have been reported in the mandibular condyle, coronoid process, orbit, palate, nasal cavity, floor of mouth, and maxillary sinüs (Buyukkurt et al, 2010;Pace et al, 2010;Shivashankara et al, 2012;Lambade et al, 2013). The etiology of an ectopic tooth has not yet been completely clarified.…”

“…The reason as to why third molars are ectopically placed is still unclear. However, ectopic eruption may result owing to one of the following 3 processes: developmental disturbance, iatrogenic activity, or pathologic process, such as a tumor or a cyst (Buyukkurt et al, 2010;Shivashankara et al, 2012;Lambade et al, 2013).…”

Chronic suppurative osteomyelitis with proliferative periostitis related to a fully impacted third molar germ: a report of two cases

“…The other was a case of sclerosing osteomyelitis in the lower right third molar extraction space in a 21-year-old female that was treated with extensive decortication. Cases of condylar osteomyelitis due to an ectopic third molar in a 35-year-old female4 and a lower left third molar in a 37-year-old male5 have also been reported; treatment was extraction, curettage, and drainage. Very similar to our case, Tong et al6 reported a case of chronic osteomyelitis with proliferative periostitis affecting the mandibular angle of a 12-year-old male patient secondary to an un-erupted lower third molar.…”

Tercer molar mandibular ectópico en región subcondilar: caso clínico y revisión de la literatura

“…Nuestra paciente refirió dolor y molestias inespecífi-cas en hemifacies derecha. En ocasiones, empiezan con fístula preauricular 6,7 . Son más raros otros síntomas como fístula con salida de material purulento intraoral 4 , trismo 1,4,8 , tumefacción dura 9 o discreta tumefacción eritematosa de la piel del ángulo mandibular 10 .…”

“…La mayoría de los casos publicados fueron tratados por vía intraoral y solamente en 8 de ellos se describe la utilización de una vía extraoral. En 3 de los casos 6,7,11 se decidió por una vía extraoral debido a la presencia de una gran infección de la zona y de una fístula a nivel preauricular. El acceso en estos casos se realiza mediante incisión de Hind 8 o bien retromandibular, con despegamiento del mús-culo maseterino, ostectomía y acceso a la cavidad quística y cordal.…”