Pneumomediastinum refers to the accumulation of air in the mediastinum, which may occur due to trauma, esophageal perforation, or spontaneously. Although rare, dental procedures, especially those involving air turbine drills, can cause mediastinal emphysema. Most reported cases are related to tooth extraction; however, nonextraction procedures may also be associated with this complication. We report the case of a 65-year-old woman who developed facial and neck swelling following a dental procedure using an air turbine drill, and provide a review of the relevant literature.
Matsushita et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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