Case reports involving very rare complications, life-altering mistakes that occurred in the dentist’s chair, and a haunted tour that may include unnecessary dental work are some of DrBicuspid’s most interesting stories during the past several years.
One of the most intriguing stories included a case report of diprosopus, a highly rare congenital disorder in which some or all parts of the face are duplicated. This case about a newborn girl in South Carolina was one of about 35 that have been reported since 1900.
Without any further delay, the following are our most engaging stories:
1. Imaging reveals baby girl in SC with 2nd mouth
Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography helped clinicians determine that a mass located on the chin of a newborn girl in South Carolina was a second oral cavity, which contained unerupted teeth and an accessory tongue that moved in sync with her oral tongue, according to a case report.
2. Use of dental gag causes cardiac arrest in a toddler
A 5-year-old boy under general anesthesia for oral surgery went into serious cardiac arrest, triggered by his mouth being propped open with a dental gag. Excessive mouth opening with a dental gag triggered the reflex of the trigeminal and vagal nerves, immediately causing a rare case of asystole, according to a case report.
3. Dentist sued, allegedly set girl’s mouth on fire
The family of a preschooler filed a lawsuit against a Las Vegas dentist claiming that he set the child’s mouth on fire during a routine dental procedure. The procedure caused burns to a 5-year-old’s epiglottis, throat, tongue, mouth, lips that may be permanent.
4. Oral surgeon ordered to pay $4M to accuser of assault while sedated
An oral surgeon in North Carolina was ordered to pay $4 million to a former patient who accused him of sexual assault while she was sedated. The clinician was suspended from practicing following his arrest for reportedly sexually assaulting 20 patients while they were under sedation.
5. Maxillofacial surgery’s dark past in Nazi Germany
About 60% of maxillofacial surgeons joined the Nazi Party during the Third Reich, according to a study published in the Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery. More maxillofacial surgeons had ties to the National Socialist Party than other medical professionals, and they experienced no professional setbacks after World War II ended in 1945.
6. Want to play? The game may include unwanted dental work
Anyone interested in experiencing their own personal nightmares can make a reservation to visit the McKamey Manor haunted house in Chattanooga, TN, which promises an extreme experience that may include unwanted dental work, getting pierced, slapped, and repeatedly submerged into water. The approximately 10-hour tour promises a prize of thousands of dollars to anyone who completes it, but no one has ever done it.
7. Dentist who pulled teeth while on hoverboard is convicted
An Alaska dentist who was filmed pulling a sedated woman's teeth while riding a hoverboard has been convicted of reckless endangerment and Medicaid fraud, according to authorities.
8. X-rays reveal man’s bruxism-caused apical periodontitis
Dental x-rays revealed that a healthy 28-year-old man developed apical periodontitis in two teeth following an intense phase of bruxism that lasted about a year. The case was believed to the first clinical case of apical periodontitis caused solely by teeth grinding and clenching, according to a case report.
9. 1st female case of excessive hair growth in gums reported
A case report published in the Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology revealed that woman in Italy was the first known case of excessive hair growth on the gums in a female. The 25-year-old woman had numerous eyelash-like hairs growing out of her maxillary and mandibular gums.
10. Mouth lock spurs weight loss by cutting calories
International researchers found that an oral device that locks the jaws to allow the ingestion of only liquids led to an average weight loss of 14 lb in the individuals who tested it. Though the weight loss was quick, DentalSlim Diet Control was not built for long-term wear. It was designed for those who hope to kick-start their weight loss journey and to get patients to lose a few pounds before they must undergo general anesthesia.
