Nitin Gupta¹, Suramya Dhamija*², Prachi Barak² and Surinder K Singhal³

¹Professor and HOD, Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Government College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
²Senior Resident, Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Government College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
³Professor, Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Government College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India

*Corresponding Author: Suramya Dhamija, Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Government College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India.

Received: September 07, 2026; Published: September 24, 2026

Introduction: Denture impaction in the oropharynx is an uncommon, but clinically significant foreign body presentation that constitutes an otolaryngological emergency. Diagnosis may be delayed due to the radiolucent nature of acrylic prosthesis and variable clinical presentations, increasing the risk of airway compromise, mucosal injury and deep neck space infections. Early recognition and prompt endoscopic retrieval are crucial for preventing morbidity and mortality.

Case Presentation: A 47-year-old male presented with a history of accidental ingestion of a denture while eating dinner under alcohol intoxication. The patient reported a foreign body sensation in the throat associated with pain, drooling of saliva, and oral bleeding, with no respiratory distress or change in voice. Clinical examination revealed a large denture lodged in the oropharynx, with its metallic sidewires embedded in the oropharyngeal mucosa. Soft tissue neck radiographs demonstrated a radiolucent denture at the level of the epiglottis and hyoid bone, with radiopaque metallic sidewires embedded in the pharyngeal mucosa. Under general anesthesia, video-laryngoscopic assessment and endotracheal intubation were performed. The severely impacted denture was successfully extracted, using digital manipulation following multiple unsuccessful attempts with various forceps. A check laryngoscopy confirmed mucosal tears, which were managed conservatively. The patient received nasogastric (Ryle’s) tube feeding for five days alongside intravenous antibiotics and was discharged in a stable condition after ten days of hospitalization.

Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of detailed history taking, thorough clinical and radiological evaluation, prompt airway control and timely foreign body removal under general anesthesia to prevent untoward life-threatening outcomes.

Keywords: Impacted Foreign Body; Oropharynx; Denture; Abscess; Deep Neck Space Infections

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Citation

Citation: Suramya Dhamija., et al. “Beyond the Bite – A Large, Severely Impacted Denture in the Oropharynx". Acta Scientific Otolaryngology 8.5 (2026): 28-31.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2026 Suramya Dhamija., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.