Dental inflammatory events including root canal treatments linked to rare Eagle Syndrome: Study

This researchers conducted the study to investigate the relationship between calcification of the stylohyoid ligaments (SHLs) and odontogenic inflammatory events.

Cone-beam computed tomography scans of 175 patients were retrospectively assessed for the presence of SHL calcifications. Frequencies of 4 types of odontogenic inflammatory events were assessed using the same scans, namely dental extractions, root canal treatments, furcation lesions, and periapical lesions. Patients were telephone-interviewed and asked about histories of tonsillectomy and head and neck trauma. Mann–Whitney U and binary logistic regression tests were used to assess associations between SHL calcification and mean ranks of odontogenic inflammatory events.

Results:

• Calcification of SHLs was detected in 71 (41%) and 58 (33%) patients on the right and left sides, respectively.
• Tonsillectomy and trauma were reported in 14% and 10% of the sample, respectively. Amongst all inflammatory events, root canal treatments were significantly associated with SHL calcification.
• This association was independent from patient age, tonsillectomy, trauma, and other inflammatory events

This study presents new evidence that intra-oral inflammatory events, particularly related to root canal treatments, have a stronger association with SHL dystrophic calcification than that associated with traditional predisposing factors (ie, old age, tonsillectomy, and trauma).

Reference:

Suhail H. Al-Amad, Saad Al Bayatti, Hissa Arif Alshamsi. Stylohyoid Ligament Calcification and Its Association With Dental Diseases. International Dental Journal, 2022, ISSN 0020-6539,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.identj.2022.06.021.