Ectopic mandibular third molar leading to osteomyelitis of condyle: a case report with literature review

A tooth is said to be ectopic if it is malpositioned either due to congenital factors or displaced due to pathological lesions. The incidence of osteomyelitis of condyle has a rare occurrence, very few cases have been reported, either their etiology is unknown or is due to hematogenous spread or a tuberculous focus. This particular case may be a rare of its kind, as recent literature did not reveal any case where an ectopic mandibular third molar led to osteomyelitis of the condyle.

This report presents a unique case where an ectopically placed mandibular third molar led to extraoral sinus and scar formation below the ear lobule with osteomyelitis of the mandibular condyle and proposes various indications for its removal along with literature review.

Ectopic eruption of a tooth into the dental environment is common, whereas ectopic eruption of tooth in other sites is rare. The exact etiology of ectopic eruption of mandibular third molar in condyle is a rare occurrence and to the best of our knowledge, only 14 cases have been reported in the literature. Management of such cases should be meticulously planned after ruling out various local as well as systemic factors as an underlying cause for osteomyelitis and on the basis of the position and type of ectopic tooth and related potential trauma which could be caused by surgical intervention with less morbidity.

This particular case may be the unique of its kind, as recent literature did not reveal any case where an ectopic mandibular third molar led to osteomyelitis of the condyle. Diagnosis and management in such cases deserve very special attention to rule out various local and systemic causes which can cause osteomyelitis to affect very unusual site like mandibular condyle. The aim of surgical intervention should be to cause minimum morbidity without affecting the functional efficiency of the mandibular condyle. In this report, we also have proposed the indications for surgical intervention to remove ectopically erupted teeth.