Clinically, extraoral sinus tracts of endodontic
origin may be confused with a wide variety of diseases.
Thus, the differential diagnosis of this clinical
dilemma is of paramount importance in providing
appropriate clinical care because misdiagnosis
of this condition may result in healing failure or
unnecessary treatments. For this reason, a dental
cause must be considered for any cutaneous sinus
tract involving the face or neck. Its diagnosis is not
always easy unless the treating clinician considers
the possibility of its dental origin. Once the correct
diagnosis is made, definitive treatment, through either
tooth extraction or root canal therapy to eliminate
the source of infection, is simple and effective.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.