Traumatic dental extraction with severe complications

Abstract

Parapharyngeal abscess is a serious life-threatening complication of dental infection which warrants immediate surgical intervention and management. Dental infections leading to parapharyngeal abscess are not uncommon. Herein, we are reporting the case of an elderly man who presented with left cheek swelling post dental extraction which led to an extensive parapharyngeal abscess with airway obstruction. The patient required incision and drainage twice, and the complication subsequently resolved with dressing and intravenous antibiotics. Despite being a common procedure, dental extraction ought to be performed with care due to its potentially devastating complications, as in our case.