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Dental Abscess on POCUS: A Retrospective Case Series Analysis
Eric Scheier1,2, Barak Gold3
1Pediatric Emergency, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel.
POCUS Journal
|May 14, 2026
Summary
Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) can identify pediatric dental abscesses. Abscesses over 4.5 mm in height are more likely to require surgical drainage, guiding treatment decisions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Medical Imaging
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Background:
- Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) is valuable for diagnosing skin and soft tissue abscesses.
- Dental abscesses in children require accurate and timely diagnosis.
- Limited data exists on POCUS characteristics of pediatric dental abscesses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the characteristics of pediatric dental abscesses using POCUS.
- To correlate POCUS findings with treatment outcomes in children with dental abscesses.
Main Methods:
- Convenience sample of 50 pediatric dental abscess cases from December 2020 to December 2024.
- All patients evaluated by an oromaxillofacial specialist and hospitalized.
- Initial POCUS imaging performed by the first author.
Main Results:
- Median patient age was 7 years; 62% were male.
- 80% received antibiotics prior to arrival; 70% presented within 3 days of pain onset.
- A significant correlation (p=0.011) was found between maximal abscess height and need for surgical drainage. A 4.5 mm cutoff showed 72.7% sensitivity and 69% specificity.
Conclusions:
- This is the first study detailing POCUS findings in hospitalized pediatric dental abscesses.
- POCUS may aid in identifying and monitoring dental abscesses in children.
- Abscesses >4.5 mm may necessitate early drainage, while most resolve with antibiotics.
