Alveolar osteonecrosis and tooth exfoliation following herpes zoster infection: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Tooth loss and osteonecrosis of the jaw are a serious and rare oral complications of herpes zoster infection, particularly in immunocompetent individuals. An immunocompetent 58‐year‐old male patient presented with a sudden exfoliation of almost all the teeth in his right mandible 2 days prior. Three weeks before this event, he had been diagnosed with herpes zoster infection, which led to irreversible necrosis on the right side of his mandible over 3 months. He was subsequently diagnosed with the osteonecrosis of the right mandible following herpes zoster infection and received aggressive treatment including medication, laser therapy and surgery. We present here our insights into the risk factors, differential diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment options for this rare complication based on our case and latest literature review.