The role of the military dental surgeon in treating facial injuries: A case report

Abstract

This article describes the circumstances surrounding an intense, constant pain in the temporal region (visual analog scale 9-10) experienced by a 22-year-old combat officer in the Israel Defense Forces following a mild facial injury. The officer's wound included penetration of shrapnel particles into the facial skin, causing severe pain. Evaluations performed by a general surgeon, neurologist, psychiatrist, and otorhinolaryngologist did not reveal the source of this pain. Finally, a dental examination revealed that shrapnel had penetrated into the intraoral buccal mucosa near the right upper first molar. A "cold test" indicated the need for endodontic treatment of this tooth. After the treatment was completed, the patient's headache disappeared immediately, and the patient did not experience pain during a 6-month follow-up period. This case emphasizes the need for a dental surgeon to perform a meticulous intraoral examination in cases involving facial wounds. Reprint & Copyright © by Association of Military Surgeons of U.S., 2007.