Retrieval of a foreign object from the palatal root canal of a permanent maxillary first molar: A case report

A 12-year-old boy presented with a fractured sewing needle within the palatal root canal of a nonvital permanent maxillary first molar. The patient admitted that he had often placed a sewing needle in the tooth to relieve discomfort associated with it. A minimal amount of tooth structure was removed around the foreign object to facilitate access for K-type files. Under copious irrigation, the files were worked around the object to loosen it. The fractured needle was removed with a tweezers that had long, narrow beaks. Use of this simple technique allowed the object to be removed from the root canal with minimal damage to internal tooth structure.