Presentation
Complaints of generalized headache. No complaints of nasal obstruction.
Patient Data
There is presence of a non-erupted ectopic supernumerary nasal tooth, extending from the nasopalatine foramen (incisive canal) into the left nasal cavity causing indentation of the medial aspect of the left inferior turbinate.
Case Discussion
Supernumerary ectopic teeth are a rare incidental finding; less than 30 cases have been so far reported in the international literature 1-4.
They can arise throughout the mid face including the palate, mandibular condyle, coronoid process, orbit, maxillary antrum and nasal cavity 5.
Symptoms of nasal teeth include epistaxis, nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea (often foul smelling), headache, facial pain and sinusitis 6.
Nasal teeth are unlikely to be diagnosed following examination alone as they are often covered in granulation tissue and infected debris. The diagnosis however, is easy to make with CT scans and endoscopic removal is usually a straight forward procedure. Causes include cleft palate, mid-face trauma, Gardner’s syndrome and cleido-cranial dysostosis, however the majority of cases have no obvious cause noted 7-9.