Noma: report of a case resulting in bony ankylosis of the maxilla and mandible

Noma, or cancrum oris, has been described as a gangrenous infection of the soft and hard tissues of the oronasal region. Prior to the advent of antibiotics the disease was commonly fatal. Now many survive the acute phase of the disease and present the surgeon with formidable problems of repair. This is a report of a presumed case of noma that resulted in bony ankylosis of the maxilla and mandible. Three-dimensional shaded surface CT reconstruction images were especially useful in demonstrating the architecture of the abnormal bone.