Unusual foreign bodies in the orofacial region

Abstract

Foreign bodies may be deposited in the oral cavity either by traumatic injury or iatrogenically. Among the commonly encountered iatrogenic foreign bodies are restorative materials like amalgam, obturation materials, broken instruments, needles, and so forth. The discovery of foreign bodies in the teeth is a special situation, which is often diagnosed accidentally. Detailed case history, clinical and radiographic examinations are necessary to come to a conclusion about the nature, size, location of the foreign body, and the difficulty involved in its retrieval. It is more common to find this situation in children as it is a well-known fact that children often tend to have the habit of placing foreign objects in the mouth. Sometimes the foreign objects get stuck in the root canals of the teeth, which the children do not reveal to their parents due to fear. These foreign objects may act as a potential source of infection and may later lead to a painful condition. This paper discusses the presence of unusual foreign bodies-a tip of the metallic compass, stapler pin, copper strip, and a broken sewing needle impregnated in the gingiva and their management.

Figure 1

Intraoral periapical radiograph showing the radiopaque foreign body.

Figure 2

Removed tip of the metallic compass.

Figure 3

Intraoral periapical radiograph showing stapler pin in the pulp chamber of 11.

Figure 4

Removed stapler pin from the tooth.

Figure 5

An OPG showing the copper strip.

Figure 6

Removed copper strip.

Figure 7

Intraoral view showing the broken needle.

Figure 8

Fragments of the broken needle.