Chronic swelling from entrapment of acrylic resin in a surgical extraction site

When acrylic resin is inadvertently embedded in oral tissue, it can result in a pronounced chronic inflammatory response. This report describes a case in which temporary crown and bridge resin was forced into a surgical extraction site after the two adjacent teeth were prepared for a bridge immediately following extraction of a maxillary premolar. The patient experienced swelling at the extraction site over a ten month period despite treatment with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. After detection and removal of the foreign body, the symptoms resolved. The episode contributed to periodontal bone loss around an adjacent tooth. While morbidity of this nature is rare, this case reinforces the need to investigate persistent signs of inflammation and account for dental materials that are lost during the course of treatment.