Osteomyelitis of the mandible in patients with a history of COVID-19 infection: clinical, histologic, and radiographic presentations

COVID-19 is a serious global infectious disease impairing the quality of life of people across the world. SARS-CoV-2 may reside in nasopharyngeal and salivary secretions of COVID-19-infected patients and spreads mainly through respiratory droplets and fomites. It has presented a challenge to dentistry, as many dental procedures generate aerosols that could lead to cross-contamination. It also presents many post-infection complications that may continue to debilitate patients, even after successful management of the virus. One such complication may be osteomyelitis of the jaw. Two cases of post-COVID-19 osteomyelitis of the jaw are presented that were determined to be unrelated to mucormycosis in otherwise healthy individuals with no prior dental complaints. An attempt is made to shed light on clinical signs in post-COVID cases that may point to a diagnosis of the condition. The pathophysiology is also discussed, which may help in formulating guidelines to prevent and manage post-COVID osteomyelitis of the jaw.