[Abscesses caused by deciduous teeth]

Abscesses in children, caused by deciduous teeth, ar not so frequently as seen in the permanent dentition. In most cases caries or an odontogenic infection of the associated deciduous tooth have already been treated by the dentist or oral surgeon at an earlier stage, i.e. before the infection exacerbates to an abscess. At the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Academic Hospital Nijmegen, between April 1997 and April 1998 20 children have been treated on a total of 1,693 patients with an odontogenic infection. Of this group, nine young children had an abscess caused by a deciduous tooth. In most cases the mandibular deciduous molars were involved. In one case an osteomyelitis of the mandible was diagnosed. All abscesses and infections could be treated adequately. The use of antibiotics is of paramount importance in the treatment of these abscesses in children.