Woman had tip of dental tool embedded in gum for five years

[snoop1130]

Woman had tip of dental tool embedded in gum for five years

By Pornpan Phetchsaen 
The Nation

 

 

A team of four dentists from Khon Kaen University's Faculty of Dentistry on Friday removed the tip of a dental tool that had been left embedded in a 33-year-old Thai woman's gum after a procedure five years ago.

 

Mukdahan resident Krittika Ritthikhan, was accompanied by her husband Pol Captain Pornthawee Ritthikhan at a press conference after the 30-minute surgery. "I thank the dentists for their help to remove this tip from my gum. It is such a great relief that it is now done," she said.

 

Faculty dean Waranuch Pitiphat said the surgery to remove the tip went well and the numbness in the patient's tongue had almost disappeared while the numbness in lower lip required a continuous treatment for six months. Krittika still required vitamins to promote the destroyed nerves, she said. 

 

The dentists said that this incident was not the first time a dental tool had been left in a patient's mouth and it could have happened because the instrument was very small. 

 

They urged people who may feel that a part of some tools has broken off and remains in their mouth after a dental procedure to quickly consult with an expert dentist at a large-sized provincial hospital which is well-equipped to treat the problem.

 

Krittika underwent a surgery to remove an ingrown tooth at a southern hospital five years ago when the tip of a dental tool broke off and was left embedded in her mouth. She was reportedly told that the tip would naturally remove itself when the wound was healed. 

 

The woman said she has suffered mysterious numbness in her lower lip and tongue for the past five years. 

 

When she went to see a dentist early this year for root canal, she was surprised to find that the tip was still there. 

 

In April, she developed an infection in the gum area around the area where the tip was embedded and sought treatment at the faculty's dental hospital. 

 

The woman was treated with a course of antibiotics while the dentists planned the surgery to successfully remove the tip on Friday.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30371939

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-06-28

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[rkidlad]

29 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

They urged people who may feel that a part of some tools has broken off and remains in their mouth after a dental procedure to quickly consult with an expert dentist

That’s reassuring. Isn’t there some kind of basic standard? 

Edited June 28, 2019 by rkidlad

[Dumbastheycome]

In all fairness to the original Dentist/s who were aware that  the tip of a tool  was somewhere in the gum and advised the patient of that with probably  more information than has been stated that if after  5  years of symptoms apparently due to that why did she wait so long?

Many many years ago I required the removal of a rear lower molar. Unfortunately I am one of those  who are the nightmare patient to Dentists for extractions due to  "hooked " roots. Apparently a genetic Celtic predisposition.

My extraction  was eventually achieved  by basically crushing the entire tooth  in situ and  a laborious piece  by piece removal. Apart  from a lot  of bleeding no issue  for  about 10 years. Over that time I progressively required more extractions until it was  appropriate for a  partial lower dental plate. Within a  week of  my  new capacity to  chew  beefaloe I started to suffer sharp  pains in my gum. Over a period of  maybe 10  days the  pressure  from the dental plate caused  small fragments  of dental enamel in the gum from that very  first extraction to be disturbed and consequently  rise to the surface. Not a  big  issue. In fact I was  simply  fascinated  that  such an embedded object  could stay there so long and not somehow be absorbed. At  no moment did I consider the Dentist  to be at  all negligent. Rather I remain grateful  for the  extraction of a tooth that otherwise  could have had  the potential  for more very serious health issues.

[Thaiwrath]

I think the reason she didn't complain was, she didn't want to make a mountain out of a "molar" hill !

????????

Edited June 28, 2019 by Thaiwrath

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, rkidlad said:

That’s reassuring. Isn’t there some kind of basic standard? 

Yes... but you can bet your hind teeth it's very basic !!????

[jany123]

12 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

In all fairness to the original Dentist/s who were aware that  the tip of a tool  was somewhere in the gum and advised the patient of that with probably  more information than has been stated that if after  5  years of symptoms apparently due to that why did she wait so long?

Many many years ago I required the removal of a rear lower molar. Unfortunately I am one of those  who are the nightmare patient to Dentists for extractions due to  "hooked " roots. Apparently a genetic Celtic predisposition.

My extraction  was eventually achieved  by basically crushing the entire tooth  in situ and  a laborious piece  by piece removal. Apart  from a lot  of bleeding no issue  for  about 10 years. Over that time I progressively required more extractions until it was  appropriate for a  partial lower dental plate. Within a  week of  my  new capacity to  chew  beefaloe I started to suffer sharp  pains in my gum. Over a period of  maybe 10  days the  pressure  from the dental plate caused  small fragments  of dental enamel in the gum from that very  first extraction to be disturbed and consequently  rise to the surface. Not a  big  issue. In fact I was  simply  fascinated  that  such an embedded object  could stay there so long and not somehow be absorbed. At  no moment did I consider the Dentist  to be at  all negligent. Rather I remain grateful  for the  extraction of a tooth that otherwise  could have had  the potential  for more very serious health issues.

AAAH... OUCH! My toes curled up causing my legs to cramp up

please... no more stories

[Burma Bill]

4 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

I think the reason she didn't complain was, she didn't want to make a mountain out of a "molar" hill !

????????

However it was an investigation the authorities could get their teeth into! 

[justin case]

"Krittika still required vitamins to promote the destroyed nerves, she said. "

 

what miracle vitamins ?

 

root canals = DEATH material ... if you have gangrene in any part of your body , they cut it off, but not in the mouth...  root canal is a cause of many diseases as it can never be sterilized and infections can grow out of control and as there is no blood supply anymore, even antibiotics cannot do anything

[Postmodernantique]

When she paid the original dentist, she should've told him to "keep the tip".

[Derek B]

13 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

In all fairness to the original Dentist/s who were aware that  the tip of a tool  was somewhere in the gum and advised the patient of that with probably  more information than has been stated that if after  5  years of symptoms apparently due to that why did she wait so long?

Many many years ago I required the removal of a rear lower molar. Unfortunately I am one of those  who are the nightmare patient to Dentists for extractions due to  "hooked " roots. Apparently a genetic Celtic predisposition.

My extraction  was eventually achieved  by basically crushing the entire tooth  in situ and  a laborious piece  by piece removal. Apart  from a lot  of bleeding no issue  for  about 10 years. Over that time I progressively required more extractions until it was  appropriate for a  partial lower dental plate. Within a  week of  my  new capacity to  chew  beefaloe I started to suffer sharp  pains in my gum. Over a period of  maybe 10  days the  pressure  from the dental plate caused  small fragments  of dental enamel in the gum from that very  first extraction to be disturbed and consequently  rise to the surface. Not a  big  issue. In fact I was  simply  fascinated  that  such an embedded object  could stay there so long and not somehow be absorbed. At  no moment did I consider the Dentist  to be at  all negligent. Rather I remain grateful  for the  extraction of a tooth that otherwise  could have had  the potential  for more very serious health issues.

I too was advised by my UK Dentist that fragments of a hooked root could rise to the surface after a difficult extraction....it duly came to the surface of the gum upon which he removed it when I went back a couple of weeks after the extraction. 

[dallen52]

The dentists said that this incident was not the first time a dental tool had been left in a patient's mouth and it could have happened because the instrument was very small. 

 

Yes it's well reported that thai tools are on the small side. 

 

This doesn't surprise me..

 

Reminds me of the woman who said "I would rather have a baby than dental work "

 

The dentist said. 

"Make up your mind before I adjust the chair".

[dallen52]

14 hours ago, rkidlad said:

That’s reassuring. Isn’t there some kind of basic standard? 

Hardly..

Walked into one dental office on klang and the cat was on the bench walking around the trays of dental equipment..

 

Needless to say,  I went to another one.

Siam Smile. Very good..

[dallen52]

For those who have problems with going to the dentist...

 

 

 

[eddysmit]

4 hours ago, dallen52 said:

For those who have problems with going to the dentist...

 

 

 

Like a lot of people I hate a trip to the dentist, now if that one was doing the work I would be visiting a lot and I definitely would not feel any pain.

[geoffbezoz]

But this is Thailand and tools in the mouth are not unusual ????

[Tropposurfer]

So what ... when I was an apprentice in the dark ages I had my bosses boot implanted into my arse for years

[choff56]

6 hours ago, dallen52 said:

The dentists said that this incident was not the first time a dental tool had been left in a patient's mouth and it could have happened because the instrument was very small. 

 

Yes it's well reported that thai tools are on the small side. 

 

This doesn't surprise me..

 

Reminds me of the woman who said "I would rather have a baby than dental work "

 

The dentist said. 

"Make up your mind before I adjust the chair".

Or, "with a general anesthetic you can have both".

[dallen52]

11 hours ago, justin case said:

"Krittika still required vitamins to promote the destroyed nerves, she said. "

 

what miracle vitamins ?

 

root canals = DEATH material ... if you have gangrene in any part of your body , they cut it off, but not in the mouth...  root canal is a cause of many diseases as it can never be sterilized and infections can grow out of control and as there is no blood supply anymore, even antibiotics cannot do anything

Thai herbs, lotions and potions cure everything. 

Just ask my wife.

We go in 7/11 for a 10 baht water, and come out with 300 baht of facial creams and soaps. 

[wavodavo]

On 6/29/2019 at 2:14 PM, Postmodernantique said:

When she paid the original dentist, she should've told him to "keep the tip".

This is a story that you can really get your teeth into.