Onychophagia and subgingival foreign body embedment: a case report

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Pathology
• Periodontology

Background:

• Onychophagia (fingernail biting) can lead to unusual oral foreign body impactions.
• Subgingival foreign bodies are uncommon but can cause significant pathology.
• Differential diagnosis in dentistry must consider rare etiologies.

Observation:

• A case of subgingival foreign body impaction by a fingernail fragment is presented.
• The impaction resulted in concurrent periodontal infection and apical pathology.
• The affected tooth was non-vital, adding diagnostic complexity.

Findings:

• Fingernail fragment as a subgingival foreign body.
• Periodontal infection secondary to foreign body.
• Apical pathology on an adjacent non-vital tooth linked to the impaction.

Implications:

• Foreign body impaction, though rare, should be included in the differential diagnosis for complex dental presentations.
• Unusual clinical findings may indicate underlying foreign body issues.
• Proper diagnosis and management require consideration of less common causes like onychophagia-related impactions.