Tuberculous Osteomyelitis of the Mandible: An Unusual Clinical Presentation

Tuberculosis can affect any part of the body with varying severity; that in the cranio-facial bones is relatively rare. When compared to pyogenic infections and neoplasms affecting the mandible, tuberculous osteomyelitis of the mandible is extremely rare. We report a case of tuberculous osteomyelitis in a 25-year-old female patient who came to us with complaint of pus discharge intraorally from lower left canine region which later proved to be tuberculous osteomyelitis with no primary focus and which responded well to anti-tubercular treatment. One should always suspect mycobacterial infection when dealing with chronic maxillofacial infections not responding to the usual antibiotic course and local debridement.