IMPORTANCE OF CORRECT DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF EXTRA-ORAL FISTULA OF ODONTOGENIC ORIGIN

When properly diagnosed, a cutaneous fistula of dental origin has a favorable therapeutic prognosis. An erroneous diagnosis, however, can lead to inappropriate treatment; also, orocutaneous fistulas occur in about 1% of patients with odontogenic lesions. The objective of this work is to describe the clinical case of a 21-year-old patient with a fistula near the mentalis muscle, who was mistakenly treated for a dermatologic lesion for 8 years. When referred to the stomatology service, an initial radiologic examination found no apparent dental cause. Surgical treatment was then performed under general anesthesia, followed by anatomopathologic examination, with a final diagnosis of apical granuloma, requiring dental removal to eliminate the infection and the fistula. We can conclude that whenever a facial skin lesion is observed, a dental cause must be sought to avoid prescribing the wrong treatment.