Risk to the eyes of a dental problem

Dental problems: Risks for the eye health

The links between teeth and eyes

There is a link between dental infection and an infection of the eye. Due to their anatomical proximity, the eyes and teeth share many nerve and vascular connections as well as communication pathways through the sinuses and the jawbone.

Eye problems following a dental infection

An infection or dental abscess of the tooth can easily spread by continuity and be the cause of uveitis (infection of the tooth uvea) or other infections such as those in the tear duct, eye socket, lower eyelid, etc.

Depending on the infected tooth, studies have shown several pathways. "spread " Infections in the incisors and canines will spread mostly through the blood or cell. Infections in the premolars and molars are spread more via the maxillary sinuses. 10 to 20% of maxillary sinusitis are found of dental origin. Wisdom teeth can reach the lower orbital fissure of the eye. Infections and dental abscesses can spread, by the subperiosteal way (set of layers of the periphery of the bones), along the upper jaw to the tear duct. open a look through the lower edge of the eye socket. This case is quite exceptional except in the case of severe sinusitis.

Eye problems of dental origin

Eye and ophthalmological disorders can occur following dental injury (shock or dental surgery). Most often, these will be vision problems that may be transient or chronic. We find in particular:

  • Blepharospasm
  • Tearing
  • Vision problems

Blepharospasm is an ophthalmological symptom manifested by involuntary and uncontrolled twitching of the eyelids. Unilateral blepharospasm (on one side) can occur with the onset of deep tooth decay. Symptoms usually resolve immediately after treatment. extraction of the affected tooth.

Specialized ophthalmology journals have reported cases of vascular spasms responsible for blindness occurring during treatment of a dental canal. This blindness manifests itself with the obturation canal and disappears as soon as the obturation is removed. A rarer case is discussed but still emphasizes the dilemma that can arise for patients between extracting a tooth that is still stable but affected by deep decay and devitalization.

Bone loss and atrophy

Bone tissue retains all of its qualitative and quantitative characteristics when stimulated by force. This force can be transmitted by a tooth or by an implant. When a tooth is extracted and not replaced by a dental implant, in this case a natural phenomenon occurs. The jawbone will undergo bone resorption leading to bone atrophy (deficit).

The resorption of the bone occurs in a different way on the upper jaw and on the mandible. It can be aggravated by wearing a removable prosthesis, an All on 4 type prosthesis, or by a peri-implantitis.

Bone atrophy can reach 5 to 6 millimeters the first year (hence the advantage of immediate implantation post-extraction) then 1 to 2 mm per year.

On the upper jaw bone loss acts both from below up along the roots and both from above with the sinus floor growing on the bone. there is more tooth or implant to hold it, it can then descend until it leaves only the thickness of a sheet of bone tissue paper. Bone atrophy also acts in thickness.

Dental implants (traditional) can also negatively affect bone tissue when peri-implantitis occurs.

Bone grafting makes it possible to regain bone height by performing it immediately after extraction. Since its implementation in the 1980s, bone grafts have undergone many improvements. There are several techniques depending on location. An increase in bone in the sinus cavity is called a sinus filling or sinus lift. An increase in height or thickness is called a shuttering or apposition graft. interventions are carried out less and less since the arrival of the basal techniques making it possible to avoid the bone graft.