The Clinical Characteristics and Management of Dental-Related Foreign Body Accidents: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Background

Dental-related foreign body accidents are uncommon but potentially serious iatrogenic complications. Although numerous case reports have been published, comprehensive clinical studies describing their clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes remain limited. This study investigated the clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of dental-related foreign body accidents. Patients and

Methods

We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients with dental-related foreign body accidents treated at a single tertiary referral center between April 2016 and March 2026. Patient demographics, foreign body characteristics, imaging findings, management, and clinical outcomes were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Twenty-six patients were included, comprising 25 cases of foreign body ingestion and one case of aspiration. Restorative materials were the most common foreign bodies (57.7%), followed by dental instruments (15.4%) and prosthetic appliances (11.5%). Endoscopic removal was performed in 12 patients (46.2%), whereas the patient with aspiration underwent bronchoscopic removal. All endoscopic procedures were successfully performed on the day of presentation. No foreign body-related or management-related complications were observed during follow-up. Owing to the retrospective single-center design and limited sample size, these findings should be interpreted with caution.

Conclusions

This retrospective observational study provides real-world clinical data on the characteristics, management, and outcomes of dental-related foreign body accidents. Restorative materials were the most common foreign bodies, and approximately half of the patients required endoscopic removal.