Foreign bodies of dental origin in the appendix

Abstract

Foreign bodies found in the appendix have been reported many times. To date 254 occurrences have been documented. However, only 4 previously reported episodes involve teeth, dental restoration or dental equipment. We present a patient with a 6 month history of intermittent right iliac fossa pain following the ingestion of a gold inlay restoration, which was found at operation to be in the distal appendix. Previous reports suggest that symptoms from foreign bodies in the appendix occur in 73% of cases, and in 93% when the object is sharp. Therefore, appendicectomy is recommended when a foreign body is detected in the appendix, and particularly if it has sharp edges.