TITLE:
Removal of a Fragment of a Dental Extraction Instrument Using a Magnet: A Clinical Case Report
AUTHORS:
Mamadou Diatta, Fatou Alle Fall, Khadim Seck, Marc Kone, Mouhammad Kane, Babacar Tamba
KEYWORDS:
Tooth Avulsion, Instrument Fractures, Management, Magnet
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Stomatology,
Vol.16 No.10,
October
26,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Managing instrument fractures during tooth extraction procedures can sometimes prove complex. The aim of this study is to report the management of a case involving a fracture of an elevator tip embedded in the roof of the mandibular root canal, which occurred during a tooth extraction, using a magnetic method with a magnet. Clinical Observation: The patient was a 62-year-old woman referred to the Department of Odontostomatology at the Idrissa Pouye General Hospital in Dakar for the management of a fracture of an elevator tip lodged in the alveolar socket following a tooth extraction. The medical history indicated a fracture of the tip of a right-handed elevator. The intraoral examination had revealed an open, empty alveolar socket at the implant site of tooth 38. To better assess the position of the foreign body and its relationship with the mandibular canal, a cone-beam CT scan was requested. On the axial section, the foreign body, embedded in the roof of the mandibular root canal, was closer to the vestibular bone plate. The treatment plan involved extraction of the foreign body using a magnet via the alveolar socket of tooth 38, which had been slightly enlarged on the vestibular side, following local anaesthesia. The post-operative course was uneventful. Conclusion: This technique, which utilises a magnet, is simple and easy to perform, helping to avoid damage to vascular and nerve structures.