Impacted Esophageal Foreign Bodies of Dental Origin

Abstract

The use of dentures is becoming common even among Africans. So also is the problem of swallowed and impacted dentures. Their radiolucence makes radiological localization almost impossible, and because of their rigidity, large size, irregular and unyielding edges, impacted dentures are apt to produce lacerations during endoscopic removal from gullets rendered friable by impaction. Three patients with impacted radiolucent dentures are described in order to illustrate the problems of removal. It is suggested that the safest and most effective method of removing impacted dentures in the esophagus is through an elective open esophagotomy.