The tooth as a foreign body in soft tissue after head and neck trauma

Thorough evaluation of dentition is important in the management of craniofacial trauma. Avulsed or fractured teeth in the pulmonary and gastrointestinal tracts can lead to serious complications that are well described. However, the penetration of avulsed teeth into soft tissues of the head and neck is unusual and may not be recognized. Two cases in which a tooth became a foreign body in these soft tissues are illustrative. One patient had bronchoscopy for possible aspiration of an avulsed maxillary canine; it was later found embedded in the premaxillary tissues. The other patient had a right mandibular molar propelled into the posterior triangle of the left side of the neck. Physicians must be aware of dental injury resulting from facial trauma and account for all teeth as part of their evaluation, keeping an open mind as to where a missing tooth might be located.