There were moderate rates of antibiotic-resistant odontogenic infections within the South Australian population. Patients within this subgroup demonstrate markedly poorer clinical outcomes. Effective treatment of odontogenic infections involves early operative intervention, with adjunctive use of appropriate antibiotic therapy that involves close monitoring of response to removal of the cause and use of first-line antibiotic agents. Cases that fail to respond require urgent specialist review in order to reduce morbidity and mortality outcomes.

Background Acute odontogenic infections are a common surgical emergency managed by public hospitals in Australia which cause considerable patient morbidity and occasionally, mortality. Despite posing a significant public health burden, Australian data evaluating the cost of the management of these patients are lacking. This study assessed the patient and treatment variables associated with inpatient management of deep odontogenic infections, and their respective financial impact, at a statewide Oral & Maxillofacial service. Methods A retrospective audit was carried out of patients with deep odontogenic infections at our institution, over a 7‐year period. The primary outcome was the total cost of admission. Secondary outcomes included treatment received, operating room time, return‐to‐theatre, length of admission (LOS), and intensive care unit (ICU) use. Cost variables were assessed against the total LOS and ICU use to determine clinical predictors affecting outcome. Results Four hundred and sixty two patients met the inclusion criteria. The average cost per patient was $12 228 Australian Dollars. After multivariate analysis, variables most significantly associated with increased cost of care and LOS were high‐risk infections with airway compromise, high admission white cell count and age. Conclusion Hospital‐based management of deep‐space odontogenic infections engender significant costs compared to early primary care intervention such as a dental extraction ($181/extraction).

Dentigerous cysts in the craniomaxillofacial complex are a benign pathology commonly associated with ectopically placed teeth. Owing to slow and asymptomatic growth, they often attain considerable size before diagnosis that may compromise adjacent anatomical structures. Various techniques for removal of dentigerous cysts from the maxillary sinus have been described. This case report demonstrates a hybrid endoscopically assisted modification of the Caldwell-Luc approach to provide the technical advantages of both techniques.

The ectopic placement of mandibular third molars in the subcondylar region is an uncommon phenomenon. Most patients are asymptomatic but can present with acute infection or associated pathology necessitating surgical intervention. Surgical approaches have been described utilizing both extraoral and intraoral approaches to the region.This paper presents a clinical report of a patient presenting with acute fascial space infection arising from an ectopic third molar in the mandibular subcondylar region, managed with surgical removal via an endoscopically assisted intraoral approach.