A case of odontoptosis and sequestration secondary to herpes zoster of the trigeminal nerve

Abstract

We encountered a case of natural exfoliation of a tooth and sequestration, which occurred after the onset of herpes zoster in the area of the third ramus of the left trigeminal nerve.
The patient was a 50-year-old woman, had a pain in the left lower cuspid tooth on October 17, 1970. About one month later, she had natural exfoliation of the tooth.
On initial examination, the alveolar bone mainly around the left lower cuspid tooth was found to be exposed in the oral cavity. On the basis of this finding and the CF value, her condition was diagnosed as sequester formation and natural exfoliation of the tooth secondary to herpes zoster. Since there was a trend toward sequestration in March 1971, the sequester was removed. At present, seven years after the operation, the jaw bone shows favorable healing process.