The diagnosis and management of supernumerary nasal teeth

ObjectiveTo discuss the reasons for misdiagnosis of supernumerary nasal teeth.MethodsClinical data of four supernumerary nasal tooth patients were analysed retrospectively at visits to our otolaryngology department between 2005 and 2018.ResultsAll four patients were male and had a supernumerary nasal tooth in the right nasal cavity. Three of the four patients had previously been misdiagnosed. All the supernumerary nasal teeth were surrounded by granulation tissue or hypertrophic nasal mucosa, and were subsequently confirmed by computed tomography and endoscopy. The granulation tissue or hypertrophic nasal mucosa was removed using microwave ablation, and the supernumerary nasal teeth successfully removed by endoscopy.ConclusionSupernumerary nasal teeth are rare, and are usually misdiagnosed because such teeth are surrounded by hypertrophic nasal mucosa or granulation tissue. They can be confirmed by computed tomography and endoscopy.

Nasal teeth

Ectopic and supernumerary teeth occur in a wide variety of sites. Those that have been reportedinclude the mandibular condyle, coronoid process, orbit, palate, nasal cavity and the maxillaryantrum. Eruption of teeth into these sites is rare, and easily overlooked. We present two casesin which eruption of teeth into the nose and paranasal sinuses was associated with significant morbidity and show how this was relieved by appropriate surgery.