Ectopic Molar Tooth in the Maxillary Sinus: a Case Report

Ectopic tooth eruption in a non-dental area is a rare entity, whereas in oral cavity it is most common. The ectopic development of teeth in non-dental localizations have been reported in the nasal cavity, chin, maxillary sinus, mandibular bone, palate and orbital cavity. Ectopic tooth eruptions in maxillay sinus are usually asymptomatic and found incidentally during routine clinical or radiological investigation. Facial pain, epistaxis, purulent rhinorrhoea, headache, swelling and epiphora related nasolacrimal duct obstruction can also be seen. Ectopic teeth within the maxillary sinus are often removed via a Caldwell-Luc procedure. To our knowledge, thirty cases of ectopic tooth in the maxillary sinus had been reported in the last thirty years. In this article, an ectopic maxillary third molar tooth on the right maxillary sinus floor is presented.