Mishaps in Orthodontics: A literature Review - Special Issue

In daily orthodontic practice, we usually face two types of emergencies: head gear injuries and oropharyngeal ingestion of orthodontic components. Since, the force applied by head gear is in orthopaedic range (400-1000 grams), severity of injuries increased. Injuries include from simple laceration to oral cavity, face, nose, eyelids to severe eye injuries. The handling of small orthodontic components in the vicinity of the salivation demands particular care on part of the clinician, especially when the patient is supine or semirecumbent. At the point, when considering the potential complications of aspiration versus ingestion, the intuitive conclusion would be that aspiration is associated with a higher morbidity rate. The most common symptoms of laryngotracheal impactions are dyspnoea, cough, and stridor; bronchial foreign bodies cause coughing, diminished air entrance, dyspnoea, and wheezing. Although, most of the foreign bodies entering into gastrointestinal tract pass without incidence, there is danger of serious complications including gut perforation, with subsequent abscess formation, and haemorrhage or fistula and death. The purpose of this article is to present a review of such type of injuries and its management perspectives.