Displacement of a composite restoration fragment into the gingiva: an unusual complication of surgical removal of teeth

• Published in: BMJ case reports Vol. 14; no. 4; p. e240294
• Main Authors: George, Ann Mary, Azad, Abdul Kalam, Mayya, Anoop, Mayya, Arun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 22-04-2021; BMJ Publishing Group
• Subjects: Bones; Case reports; Composite Resins; Dental Restoration, Permanent; Foreign bodies; Gingiva; Humans; Images In; Literature reviews; Teeth; Tooth; dentistry and oral medicine; mouth
• ISSN: 1757-790X; 1757-790X
• DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2020-240294

Correspondence to Dr Anoop Mayya; [e-mail] Description In the maxillofacial region, foreign bodies occur due to trauma or therapeutic interventions.1 One of the most commonly reported foreign bodies in the jaw bones are filling materials.2 Ghafoor et al described a rare case in which a wide area of bone loss with loss of two teeth was related to an intra-osseous foreign body reaction due to amalgam displacement in the extraction socket.3 Another clinical case by Fredrik et al illustrated calcium hydroxide paste displacement into the mandible and the advantages of retrieving such displaced material before symptoms worsen.4 Multiple imaging techniques can be used to localise the foreign bodies which include plain radiographs, CT, MRI or ultrasound.5 This case clearly demonstrates an iatrogenic cause for discomfort and irritation of the mandible due to a displaced composite restoration fragment requiring surgical referral and treatment, which was potentially avoidable. On careful inspection of the adjacent area, it was found that a small piece of the composite restoration had chipped off from the distal most aspect of the tooth #37 and had displaced into the gingival soft tissue overlying the mandible, which in turn caused the irritation. Br Dent J 2011; 210: 558–9. doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.2011.490 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21701452 4 Ahlgren FKEK, Johannessen AC, Hellem S. Displaced calcium hydroxide paste causing inferior alveolar nerve paraesthesia: report of a case.