Foreign Body Ingestion and Aspiration in Dentistry: A Review of the Literature and Reports of Three Cases

Abstract

This article reviews several cases of foreign body ingestion or inhalation reported in the literature. Prevention, complication and management of this event are discussed and three case reports presented. Two of the cases were bridge ingestion and one was ingestion of an orthodontic band. The three cases were managed by watchful waiting and the ingested foreign bodies came out in the stools without complications.

Survival analysis with clustered observations of orthodontic brackets

“…the unexpected detachment of the bracket from the tooth). Indeed, this may result in longer treatment duration, less accurate occlusal finishing, and also ingestion or aspiration accidents [2]. Numerous studies have investigated the effects of adhesive or bracket types on bracket failures [3][4][5].…”

Dental avulsion due to direct laryngoscopy during the induction of general anaesthesia and avulsed teeth in nasopharynx

“…The tooth fragment can cause upper/lower respiratory tract or gastrointestinal tract obstruction and perforation depending on its size. 13 15 16 If the location of the avulsed fragment is unknown, chest and abdomen imaging must be performed immediately to determine whether the tooth is aspirated or it has passed into the gastrointestinal tract. Our patient's head and neck, chest and abdomen were examined immediately with the C-armed x-ray device in the operating theatre.…”

An Ingested Orthodontic Wire Fragment: A Case Report

“…Accidental foreign body aspiration and/or ingestion are well-described phenomena, respected for their serious health risks, with ingestion occurring more frequently than aspiration [ 1 , 2 ]. In the United States, approximately 1500 people die each year following ingestion of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract [ 1 ], with the most frequently ingested foreign objects including coins, meat boli, button batteries, and dental objects [ 1 , 3 ]. Most ingested objects pass through the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) spontaneously, but approximately 10%–20% need to be removed endoscopically and 1% require surgery [ 1 ].…”

“…Some individuals are at greater risk of ingesting and/or aspirating a foreign object. This includes those with an accompanying medical, mental or physical disability where there is a significant increasing risk in these children up to 15 years of age [ 1 , 4 ]. Adult high-risk groups include: patients with mental disability, dementia, those on prescribed opiate or antidepressant medication, alcoholism, neurological disorders (such as Parkinson’s disease or stroke related dysphagia) and epilepsy [ 1 , 2 ].…”