Jaw Abscess

A.S. is a 70-year-old Black female new patient with right-sided jaw/TMJ pain after a weeks-to-months right lower jawline mass/abscess that spontaneously drained purulent material and left a prominent keloid scar. Pain was severe and refractory to multiple analgesics and antibiotics (amox-clav, clindamycin, TMP-SMX) but is now improved though persistent. She was told she has multiple dental caries needing extensive work but has not had recent dental care. She has Sjögren’s syndrome with worsened salivation issues, plus pain-limited chewing/swallowing with poor intake and weight loss. She also reports a mechanical fall with head strike last week without head imaging; she has a chest wall port due to difficult IV access.