Complications caused by acute dentoalveolar abscess in patients from Health Area VII in Cienfuegos, 2013

• Main Authors: Ana Belkys Hernández Millán, Irma Aracelia Sueiro Sánchez, Zenia Lissette Hernández Millán
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Editorial Ciencias Médicas 2015-06-01
• Series: Revista Cubana de Estomatología
• Subjects: complicación; absceso dentoalveolar agudo.
• Online Access: http://www.revestomatologia.sld.cu/index.php/est/article/view/588

Introduction: complications caused by acute dentoalveolar abscess are a reason for concern among dentists, due to the risk they pose for the patients' overall health status. However, few specific studies have been published on the subject. Objective: describe the complications caused by acute dentoalveolar abscess in patients from Health Area VII in Cienfuegos. Methods: a cross-sectional observational descriptive study was conducted from January to December 2013. The study universe was 374 patients attending the dental service with acute alveolar abscess, and the sample was 87 who had some sort of complication. Data were obtained by observation. Primary data and information were collected from the patients' medical records after obtaining their informed consent. The main variables analyzed were age, sex, teeth most commonly affected, behavior of complications vs. treatment of choice and self-medication, associated systemic factors and complications caused by acute dentoalveolar abscess. Results were expressed as total and percentages. Results: 72.41 % of the female patients and 34.48 % of the 35-59 age group were affected by complications caused by acute dentoalveolar abscess. The upper second premolar was affected in 28.74 % of the cases. 71.26 % of the patients responded positively to the treatment of choice. Diabetes mellitus types I and II as a systemic factor was found in 53.33 % of the cases, whereas mild odontogenic facial cellulitis appeared in 64.36 %. Conclusion: mild and moderate odontogenic facial cellulitis were the complications caused by acute dentoalveolar abscess. Women were more affected than men. Systemic diseases aggravated the clinical status of patients, but the swift action of dentists prevented the occurrence of fatal cases.