Study Links Dental Inflammatory Events to Rare Eagle Syndrome

Dental inflammatory events, including root canal treatments, are linked to rare Eagle Syndrome, according to a new study. Eagle syndrome is caused by a calcified stylohyoid ligament (SHL). The study has been published in the International Dental Journal.

Dystrophic calcification represents a situation in which insoluble mineral salts are deposited in soft tissues, in the absence of an increase in serum calcium and phosphate. This type of calcification has been incidentally detected in the head and neck region in more than 33% of the population.

Study Overview

The researchers conducted the study to investigate the relationship between calcification of the stylohyoid ligaments (SHLs) and odontogenic inflammatory events. Cone-beam computed tomography scans of 175 patients were retrospectively assessed for the presence of SHL calcifications. Frequencies of four types of odontogenic inflammatory events were assessed using the same scans, namely:

• Dental extractions
• Root canal treatments
• Furcation lesions
• Periapical lesions

Patients were telephone-interviewed and asked about histories of tonsillectomy and head and neck trauma. Mann–Whitney U and binary logistic regression tests were used to assess associations between SHL calcification and mean ranks of odontogenic inflammatory events.

Results

Calcification of SHLs was detected in 71 (41%) and 58 (33%) patients on the right and left sides, respectively. Tonsillectomy and trauma were reported in 14% and 10% of the sample, respectively. Amongst all inflammatory events, root canal treatments were significantly associated with SHL calcification. This association was independent from patient age, tonsillectomy, trauma, and other inflammatory events.

This study presents new evidence that intra-oral inflammatory events, particularly related to root canal treatments, have a stronger association with SHL dystrophic calcification than that associated with traditional predisposing factors (i.e., old age, tonsillectomy, and trauma).

Reference

Suhail H. Al-Amad, Saad Al Bayatti, Hissa Arif Alshamsi. Stylohyoid Ligament Calcification and Its Association With Dental Diseases. International Dental Journal, 2022, ISSN 0020-6539, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.identj.2022.06.021.