CASE REPORTS
Incidental finding of an intranasal foreign body
discovered on routine dental examination: case report
Paul E. Kirtle, DDS, LTC, DC Gerald R. Aaron, DDS, MS, COL, DC
Herschel
L. Jones,
DDS, LTC, DC Newton O. Duncan, MD, MAJ, MC
Abstract
A nasal foreign body was discovered radiologically on an
initial dental examination of a young child. The child was a
candidate for dental rehabilitation,
using nasotracheal
intubation under general anesthesia. The parents were un-
aware of the object’s presence, and the child had no nasal
symptoms. The child was referred to the Otolaryngology-
Head and Neck Surgery Service to have the object removed;
this was accomplished successfully without sequelae on an
outpatient basis. Dentists and physicians who treat children
should be alert to the possible presence of intranasal objects in
their patients.
Introduction
A thorough examination of the head and neck is
requisite when examining a new dental patient.
It is
even more important when examining a young child,
because of limited communication skills.
The child
should be examined for general development and ap-
pearance, appropriate size, normal functions, and evi-
dence of trauma and pathology with special attention
paid to the head and neck area.
Despite the reported decrease in dental caries, gen-
eral and pediatric dentists frequently see children with
nursing bottle caries. Many of these children are treated
in the operating room under general anesthesia with
This article is a work of the United States Government and
may be reprinted without permission. The author(s) are
employee(s) of the United States Army at and Fort Lewis, WA.
Opinions expressed therein, unless otherwise specifically in-
dicated, are those of the author(s). They do not purport
express views of the Dental Corp. of the United States Army,
or any other Department or Agency of the United States
Government.
nasotracheal intubation, because of their young ages,
their inability to cooperate, and the extent of care that
they need. Again, due to th