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Case Reports
. 2021 Feb 28;13(2):e13616.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.13616.

A Rhinolith Turning Out to Be an Intranasal Tooth

Hui Yan Ong  1 , Jia Ji Ng  2 , Hui Jun Ong  3 , Shii Joshua Wong  3 , Shashi Gopalan  4
Affiliations
Case Reports

A Rhinolith Turning Out to Be an Intranasal Tooth

Hui Yan Ong et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

A tooth in the nasal cavity is an uncommon phenomenon. The exact mechanism is unclear, and patients may present with non-specific nasal symptoms. We encountered a 24-year-old patient with history of cleft palate repair, presenting to us with unilateral nasal discharge not improving with conventional medications. Rigid nasal endoscopy revealed a rhinolith-like foreign body at the floor of the left nasal cavity. Removal of the rhinolith was done under general anesthesia, and it turned out to be an intranasal tooth. Intranasal tooth is often misdiagnosed due to its non-specific symptoms. Detailed dental and oropharyngeal examination as well as imaging studies are essential in diagnosing an intranasal tooth. Early surgical removal is the mainstay of treatment in order to prevent further complications. Patients with unilateral nasal symptoms not responding to conventional treatment require proper ear, nose, and throat (ENT) evaluation to rule out other pathology.

Keywords: cleft palate; foreign body; intranasal tooth; rhinolith.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Part of the maxillary arch
Canines and the left upper premolar teeth are well formed. There are two malformed incisors between the canines.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Endoscopic view of the left nasal cavity
Part of the granulation tissue was removed, and there was a hard whitish mass (blue arrow) at the floor of the nasal cavity.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Tooth retrieved from the nasal cavity
Tooth revealed typical tooth structures such as the enamel and cementum.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Endoscopic view of the nasal cavity
Post removal of the intranasal tooth, the floor of the nasal cavity appeared intact (blue arrow).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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