Traumatic Displacement of a Maxillary Primary Canine Tooth into the Middle Nasal Concha Presenting as Chronic Facial Pain: A Case Report

The case of a 32-year-old woman who sustained a nasal bone fracture and dental trauma at the age of 9 is described in this article. Misdiagnosis of the dental displacement into the middle turbinate at the initial examination led to chronic facial pain. The cause of the pain was incorrectly diagnosed or misinterpreted by several medical specialists, including an otolaryngologist, neurologist, physiatrist, ophthalmologist, internist, radiologist, oral surgeon, dentist, and the patient’s family physician. Finally, 23 years after the dental trauma, a multislice computed tomogram revealed that the primary maxillary canine was dislocated into the right middle nasal concha. The tooth, which had become embedded into necrotic, inflammatory tissue, was removed by endoscopic surgery, which resulted in full resolution of the patient’s pain.

chronic facial pain; middle turbinate; misdiagnosis; tooth displacement

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