Odontogenic Fungal Maxillary Sinusitis: A Case Report of a Displaced Dental Foreign Body

Odontogenic etiology accounts for 10-12% of cases of maxillary sinusitis. Although uncommon, direct spread of dental infections into the maxillary sinus is possible due to the close relationship of the maxillary posterior teeth to the maxillary sinus. An odontogenic infection is a polymicrobial aerobic-anaerobic infection, with anaerobes out numbering the aerobes. Diagnosis requires a thorough dental and clinical evaluation, including radiographs. Management of sinus disease of odontogenic origin often requires medical treatment with appropriate antibiotics, surgical drainage when indicated, and treatment to remove the offending dental etiology. A 35-year-old, non-smoking woman visited our clinic, with a history of 6 months of facial pain, purulent nose discharge, and a foul taste in her mouth. The patient was otherwise healthy. Nasal endoscopy showed purulent discharge coming from the left middle meatus with a congested nasal mucosa and with a past history of dental treatments. CT PNS showed fractured free floating and an impacted foreign body through the premolar tooth and a right maxillary polyp with evidence of similar dental procedure done bilaterally. Functional endoscopic sinus surgery with extraction of the affected tooth and closure of oroantral fistula was done. The association between an odontogenic condition and maxillary sinusitis requires a thorough dental examination of patients with sinusitis. Concomitant management of the dental origin and the associated sinusitis will ensure complete resolution of the infection and may prevent recurrences and complications. A combination of a medical and surgical approach is generally required for the treatment of odontogenic sinusitis. An endoscopic shaver-assisted approach to is a reliable, minimally invasive method associated with less morbidity and lower incidence of complications.