To investigate the etiology, clinical characteristics and comprehensive treatment of maxillofacial space infection.

Total of 126 patients with oral and maxillofacial space infection (MSI) who were treated in Huizhou Central people’s Hospital from January 2014 to December 2016 were selected. The etiology, systemic condition, pathogenic bacteria, age, treatment and diagnosis were systematically analyzed, resptectively.

There was significant difference in the number of cases with MSI infection in different age grades (χ²= 12.903,P = 0.030), the number of different infection sources (χ²= 11.17, P= 0.03), different infection sites (χ²= 14.31,P= 0.02) and different pathogenic bacteria (χ²= 12.41,P= 0.02). All 126 patients were cured by antimicrobial conservative therapy, among whom 41 patients were discharged from hospital, and 85 patients were without obvious complications after drug and incision drainage treatment. There was significant difference among the number of patients with different treatmentmethods (χ²= 8.91,P = 0.04). The levels of inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6),C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) were significantly lower than those before treatment, with significant differences (allP < 0. 05).

In order to control the development of maxillofacial space infection, patients with maxillofacial space infection should be given adequate and sensitive antibiotics and timely incision and drainage of abscess.