Intraoral Management of a Root Displaced into the Submandibular Space: A Case Report

Displacement of a tooth or part of it into the adjacent anatomical structures is a serious complication of oral surgical procedures. Herein, we report intraoral management of a root displaced into the submandibular space.  

A 46-year-old female was referred by a dentist to the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery for management of a displaced right mandibular third molar root into the submandibular space. The patient had undergone unsuccessful extraction of the tooth under local anesthesia 2 weeks earlier. On clinical examination, the floor of the mouth was tender on palpation, and slight edema was noted extra-orally at the right mandibular angle. Panoramic radiography and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) were requested, which showed presence of a residual root segment (high density mass) in the right submandibular region. The dislodged root was removed intraorally under general anesthesia without any postoperative complication.

Displacement of tooth/tooth fragments into anatomical spaces after molar extraction can be avoided by adequate preoperative evaluation of patient and adoption of a meticulous surgical technique by an expert oral surgeon.