Swallowed dental bridge perforating the terminal ileum

Dental Impaction in the Cecum: Case Report and Review of Gastrointestinal Foreign Body Impactions

Approximately 20% of the adult population in the United States wears dentures. Foreign body ingestions, including dentures, are not uncommon. Although the majority of all ingested foreign bodies pass spontaneously through the gastrointestinal tract, impaction may occur, especially with physiologic constrictions, angulations, or stenosis. The esophagus is the most common site of impaction, whereas colonic impaction is extremely uncommon. We present a case of an 84-year-old male who was referred to the gastroenterology clinic for denture impaction, which lasted for two weeks. The patient had already failed to pass the denture following conservative treatment with laxatives, and repeated abdominal imaging showed the dental plate in the cecum. Colonoscopy was performed three weeks after the ingestion of his dentures, and tripod forceps were used to dislodge the end of the dental plate and ultimately remove it. The patient was asymptomatic for the entire period.

Designing for Safety: Implications of a Fifteen Year Review of Swallowed and Aspirated Dentures

Objectives

Dentures are worn by around 20% of the population, yet if they become displaced they may enter the gastrointestinal or respiratory system, sometimes with grave consequences. The aim of this study was to review recent published literature in order to identify the epidemiology of patients and characteristics of swallowed and aspirated dental prostheses, and propose strategies to minimise these risks.

Material and Methods

A fifteen year retrospective of published case series and case reports was carried out. Photographs, radiographs and descriptions of the dental prostheses were gathered, as well as the patient’s presenting complaint, the anatomical site where the denture was caught and the procedure required to remove the denture.

Results

Ninety one separate events of swallowed or aspirated dentures were identified from 83 case reports and series from 28 countries. Average age was 55 years, and these were 74% male. Photographs were retrieved for 49 of these dentures. Clasps were present in 25 of the dentures. There was no significant difference between clasped and unclasped dentures for perforation rates, need for open surgery and spontaneously passed dentures.

Conclusions

We discuss the implications of this study regarding denture designs, specifically the importance of using a radiopaque acrylic, using clasps when required even if there is a risk of aspiration, advising patients to return if a denture is loose or damaged, and finally that all patients who wear a denture are at risk of aspiration and swallowing events, and associated morbidity and mortality.

Swallowed dentures: Two cases and a review

INTRODUCTION

Denture ingestion or aspiration is a problem requiring awareness of different specialists including dentists, surgeons, otolaryngologists, anesthesiologists etc. in terms of prevention, early diagnosis and adequate treatment. Complications of swallowed dentures include hollow viscus necrosis, perforation, penetration to neighbor organs leading to fistulae, bleeding and obstruction.

PRESENTATION OF CASES

First case is a 54-year-old female who accidentally swallowed retractable one-tooth denture during fall about 22 h before admission and clinical manifestation of acute small bowel obstruction developed. The patient underwent laparotomy, enterotomy with retrieval of the foreign body. The second case is a 31-year-old male who accidentally ingested fixed one-tooth prosthesis while eating which impacted in the ileocaecal valve. During the preparation to colonoscopy the denture spontaneously passed out with stools.

DISCUSSION

Denture ingestion is more common among patients with psychoneurologic deficit, alcohol and drug abusers. Among healthy and younger population denture ingestion is rare. Both reported patients are not elder. Thus dislodgement of removable or fixed dentures is another risk factor of denture ingestion. Most common site of denture impaction is esophagus; small bowel impaction is rare. Moreover, in most reported cases, small bowel impaction of ingested dentures leads to small bowel perforation. In our first case the complication of denture ingestion appeared to be bowel obstruction what is even rarer.

CONCLUSION

Fixed dentures can be accidentally ingested as well as removable dentures. Denture loosening leads to accidental denture ingestion. Patients with denture loosening should be recommended to visit dentist as soon as possible.