Traumatic displacement of maxillary permanent incisor into the nasal cavity.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this paper was to describe a case of unviable alveolar repositioning of an intruded tooth into the nasal cavity and to bring the subject of intrusive tooth injury among patients with dentoalveolar fractures to the attention of trauma surgeons.


METHODS
A 26-year-old male was involved in a car accident and crashed his mouth against the dashboard due to sudden deceleration. Intraoral examination revealed an anterior maxillary dentoalveolar fracture and absence of the central maxillary incisors, right lateral maxillary incisor, and left maxillary canine. Computed tomography showed a dislocated tooth in the nasal cavity. The "missing" left maxillary canine was easily recovered from the floor of the left nostril.


CONCLUSIONS
Because complete dislocation of a tooth can cause a frontal sinus abscess, an airway complication, a respiratory tract obstruction, and a complicated lung abscess or sinusitis, anytime a tooth is not accounted for after a dentoalveolar trauma, the possibility that it has been fully intruded should be considered. Computed tomographic scan should be a routine diagnostic study in all cases with associated missing anatomical structures in the oral and maxillofacial region. The need to involve the dental professional in the initial assessment of dental trauma in emergency rooms in hospitals is important in order to identify how many teeth might be missing after dental trauma and to correctly reposition the avulsed teeth when possible.
Chrcanovic
Bruno Ramos
BR
Departamento de Odontologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Av. Dom José Gaspar, 500 Prédio 45–Coração Eucarístico, 30535-610 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. brunochrcanovic@hotmail.com
Bueno
Sebastião Cristian
SC
da Silveira
Daniel Trivelato
DT
Custódio
Antônio Luís Neto
AL
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D003481:Cuspid / Q000293:injuries*; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D007180:Incisor / Q000293:injuries*; D022125:Lacerations / Q000209:etiology; D008046:Lip / Q000293:injuries; D008297:Male; D008440:Maxillary Fractures / Q000150:complications*; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014084:Tooth Avulsion / Q000209:etiology*