Maxillofacial infections can arise due to dental or non-dental etiology. These infections can be of bacterial, viral or fungal origin, and they mostly present as painful swellings in the orofacial region. Severe infections may cause swellings large enough to make breathing and swallowing difficult. Before treating the infection, it is extremely important to diagnose the root cause of the infection and determine the extent of its spread. For smaller lesions, a simple tooth extraction or drainage of the swelling may suffice. More severe infections may require hospitalisation and surgical drainage and debridement.
