| Abstract: | A case is presented that was unusual in its clinical manifestation. The firm, nontender, submental mass showed no evidence of erythema or fluctuation. It did not respond to intravenous antibiotic therapy until after it had been drained surgically. The apparent source of infection was a chronic periodontal lesion involving tooth No. 18. The patient gave no history of discomfort involving tooth No. 18 or his left mandible.In many respects, the case is a classic one of actinomycosis. The lesion was slow growing, hard, and nontender. Like the majority of the cases in the literature it involved the cervicofacial region. The infection began to resolve rapidly following surgical drainage and debridement. The lesion was identified surgically as an abscess with a central necrotic area surrounded by granulation tissue and firm fibrous tissue, all of which are hallmarks of actinmycosis.After two months of oral penicillin G therapy, the patient was free of any evidence of disease. |
