Objective:

To determine the frequency of head and neck odontogenic necrotizing fasciitis.

Materials and methods:

A retrospective, transversal and descriptive study was carried out based on the records in the Infectology area of the centro Medico Nacional La Raza between 2002 and 2004; the files of patients treated by the maxillofacial surgery department with the diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis were reviewed and the predilection of sex, age, concomitant diseases, tooth and more frequent anatomical spaces involved were analyzed.

Results:

29 cases of necrotizing fasciitis of odontogenic origin during the period from 2002 to 2004 were reviewed. in 29 cases fifteen were presented in female patients (51.72%) and fourteen in male patients (48.72%). the average age was 53.79 with a range from 17 to 82 years. the most common concomitant disease was diabetes mellitus in 16 cases (55.17%). the most frequent involved tooth was the lower third molar in 11 cases (37.93%). the most frequent anatomical space involved was the anterior zone of the neck in 26 cases (89.85%). Five patients died and the mortality was 17.24%.

Conclusions:

Necrotizing fasciitis of odontogenic origin is a frequent disease in this hospital, different from what is reported in the literature that shows it as a rare disease. in our study the prevalence in female patients was higher than in male patients, this differs from the literature, where is mentioned that this disease is more frequent in male patients. the most frequent tooth involved is the same as in the literature. the affected anatomical spaces are the same in our study than in the references.