Cervical necrotizing fasciitis of odontogenic origin involving the temporal region--a case report

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a soft-tissue infection, usually polymicrobial, that causes necrosis of fascia and subcutaneous tissue while sparing skin and muscle. We report a case of cervical NF complicating dental infection in a 50-year-old woman, who presented with infection involving mucosa of the right mandible and temporal muscle, and masticator spaces, requiring extensive surgery and antibiotic therapy. Prompt diagnosis and immediate aggressive surgical debridement of all compromised tissues are critical to reducing morbidity and mortality in these rapidly progressive infections.