Ectopic intranasal canine tooth in a child: A rare case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION: Intranasal teeth are a rare form of ectopic teeth. Their clinical manifestation are truly variable. In children, intranasal teeth are typically associated with cleft lip and alveolus. PRESENTATION OF CASE: Here, we report a case of 11 years –old girl presented with right nasal obstruction and occasional headache without any obvious etiology. 0Computed tomography of the paranasal sinuses (coronal and axial view) revealed displaced right upper maxillary tooth with the crown oriented inferiorly and medially toward and within the lower right anterior nasal cavity. She underwent surgery by anterior rhinoscopy and endoscopic guidance. The patient’s symptoms were resolved completely post-operatively and remained symptom-free for 18 months postoperatively. DISCUSSION: Ectopic intranasal tooth is a rare phenomenon, with a male predominance and around half of all patients are diagnosed before adulthood. Ectopic intranasal tooth arising from inferior turbinate is very rare. No clear etiological factor has been suggested in most of the reported cases. Idiopathic etiology has been described as an etiologic factor for ectopic teeth. The treatment of intranasal teeth is early surgical extraction to alleviate the symptoms and prevent the possible morbidities. CONCLUSION: Intranasal teeth are a rare form of ectopic teeth encountered to otolaryngology clinic and may cause a variety of symptoms and complications. CT is very useful; it confirms the diagnosis and facilitates surgical planning. Early diagnosis and treatment are very important to avoid their possible complications.