Evidence to support the hypothesis of tuberculosis as a cause of extreme osteonecrosis and osteomyelitis of the mandible in a West African population.

Maxillofacial tuberculosis (TB) is rare. The cases of 19 patients showing extreme bony destruction in the mandible, collected over a 3-month period in West Africa, are presented. Clinical, radiographic, and histological evidence indicated Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a possible cause. Further studies are in progress.

Doctor, here is my palate: rare occurrence of subtotal maxillary osteomyelitis.

Osteomyelitis of the jaws, although well documented, is rare, but osteomyelitis of the maxilla is extremely rare. We report the case of a 56-year-old Togolese man with avulsion of part of his maxilla.

Sixty cases of extreme osteonecrosis and osteomyelitis of the mandible and maxilla in a West African population.

A description of 60 cases of extreme osteonecrosis and osteomyelitis of the jaws is presented. The patients attended the dental clinics of the medical charity organisation Mercy Ships, over a 2.5-year period when the hospital ship the 'Africa Mercy' was docked in the West African countries of Liberia, Benin and Togo. Possible reasons for the development of these clinical conditions are discussed including aetiologies, genetics (coagulopathies, osteopetrosis), Gorham's disease, infective conditions (tuberculosis, herpes zoster, HIV infection, osteomyelitis), toxicity (bisphosphonates, spider bites), and environmental effects (phossy jaw, radium jaw). The possible causes of these cases of osteonecrosis and osteomyelitis of the jaw are under investigation.