Frontal lobe abscess of dental origin. Report of a case.

A 52-year-old white man came to our hospital with obscure signs of disease. Multiple laboratory tests, radiographs, and examinations ruled out aseptic meningitis, bacterial endocarditis, cerebral artery aneurysm, and other possibilities. A brain abscess was finally diagnosed. The teeth and their surrounding tissues were implicated as the etiologic factors. The importance of odontogenic sources as potential foci of infection is emphasized. This sequel to odontogenic infection is quite rare, but it can be prevented by removal of chronically carious teeth and periapical pathosis.