Mandibular Involvement in Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis Associated with SAPHO Syndrome

SAPHO syndrome is defined as the association of a group of rare sterile osteoarticular disorders and inflammatory skin diseases whose etiology, although not yet determined, probably involves genetic, immunological and infectious mechanisms. The recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis, an inflammatory disease, can be associated with this syndrome even as a single event.

A case of a young female patient, with a definite diagnosis of SAPHO and an inflammatory mandibular atypical disease for which therapeutic options with immunosuppressants were being used, is reported. The adverse evolution of the clinical conditions led to the hypothesis that the patient suffered from associated mandibular odontogenic bacterial osteomyelitis. The extraction of all teeth was recommended. After our evaluation, we recommended a conservative treatment, and after 2 months of treatment with an endovenous antibiotic, the patient showed improvement of clinical and laboratory results.

Early diagnosis is necessary to avoid successive and unnecessary tooth loss in the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis mandibular.