Maxillofacial Infections: A 5-Year Assessment of the Epidemiology and Etiology in an Iranian Population.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the epidemiologic factors associated with maxillofacial infections in a sample of Iranian patients.

Methods and materials: A number of 209 patients, who admitted to Kamyab hospital due to maxillofacial infections, were recruited in this 5-year cross-sectional study. Multiple variables including the offending tooth, type of abscess, clinical signs and symptoms, the type of prescribed antibiotic, type of anesthesia, employed surgical technique, period of hospitalization, and postoperative complications were analyzed using SPSS software.

Results: 123 males and 86 females, with an average age of 35.45 ± 14.19 years, were studied. It was noticed that 27.8% of patients had a habit of smoking or tobacco use, 16.8% had been diagnosed with an underlying disease and 12.4% were alcohol consumers. It was reported that the mandibular third molar was the most offending tooth (26.8%) and the submandibular area was most infected site (51.6%). Swelling and Ludwig's angina were the most frequent symptom and complication, respectively. Clindamycin was the empirical antibiotic of choice.

Conclusion: Facial space abscesses can rapidly progress and cause irreversible consequences. Patients with a systemic disease and also those suffering from pterygomandibular and submasseteric infections had a longer hospital stay compared to others.