In adults, dog bites to the upper extremity are common, but retention of the tooth after the bite is a rare occurrence. Foreign bodies can become embedded in the tissue after a penetrating injury and may not be evident upon the initial physical exam, potentially leading to infections and other local or systemic consequences. Various imaging modalities have been recommended for the localization and diagnosis of foreign bodies, depending on the nature of the foreign body and available facilities. We present a rare case of a retained tooth in the distal forearm after a stray dog bite. This case highlights the importance of radiographic evaluation in the context of penetrating animal bites.
Griego, R.D., Rosen, T., Orengo, I.F. and Wolf, J.E. (1995) Dog, Cat, and Human Bites: A Review. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 33, 1019-1029. https://doi.org/10.1016/0190-9622(95)90296-1
[3]
Benson, L.S., Edwards, S.L., Schiff, A.P., Williams, C.S. and Visotsky, J.L. (2006) Dog and Cat Bites to the Hand: Treatment and Cost Assessment. The Journal of Hand Surgery, 31, 468-473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhsa.2005.12.011
[4]
Ranganatha, B.T. and Pawan Kumar, K.M. (2014) Canine Tooth in Hand—A Rare Entity. Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma, 5, 91-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcot.2014.05.006
[5]
Tanrikulu, C., Karaman, S. and Tanrikulu, Y. (2021) A Dog Tooth Case Stuck to the Bone after Bite. Annals of Medical Research, 28, 861-862. https://doi.org/10.5455/annalsmedres.2020.05.462
[6]
Prokop, A., Holzmüller, W., Sommer, B. and Rehm, K.E. (1993) Dog Bite Injuries with Foreign Body Incorporation. Handchirurgie, Mikrochirurgie, plastischeChirurgie, 25, 90-94.
[7]
Presutti, R.J. (2001) Prevention and Treatment of Dog Bites. American Family Physician, 63, 1567-1572.
[8]
Desai, A.N. (2020) Dog Bites. Journal of the American Medical Association, 323, Article 2535. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.1993
[9]
Morgan, M. and Palmer, J. (2007) Dog Bites. British Medical Journal, 334, 413-417. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39105.659919.be
[10]
Jarraya, M., Hayashi, D., de Villiers, R.V., Roemer, F.W., Murakami, A.M., Cossi, A., et al. (2014) Multimodality Imaging of Foreign Bodies of the Musculoskeletal System. American Journal of Roentgenology, 203, W92-W102. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.13.11743
[11]
Talan, D.A., Citron, D.M., Abrahamian, F.M., Moran, G.J. and Goldstein, E.J.C. (1999) Bacteriologic Analysis of Infected Dog and Cat Bites. New England Journal of Medicine, 340, 85-92. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm199901143400202
[12]
Young, P.M., Bancroft, L.W., Peterson, J.J., Roberts, C.C., Liu, P.T. and Zaleski, C.G. (2009) Imaging Spectrum of Bites, Stings, and Their Complications: Pictorial Review. American Journal of Roentgenology, 193, S31-S41. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.07.7123
[13]
Ellis, R. and Ellis, C. (2014) Dog and Cat Bites. American Family Physician, 90, 239-243.
[14]
Jha, S., Khan, W.S. and Siddiqui, N.A. (2014) Mammalian Bite Injuries to the Hand and Their Management. The Open Orthopaedics Journal, 8, 194-198. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874325001408010194
