DOI: 10.66702/ejoms.1936619 ISSN: 2687-5497

A Forgotten Third Molar in the Infratemporal Fossa for Ten Years: A Case Report and Literature Review

Gamze Tanman, Fatih Bedel, Ömer Uranbey
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Accidental displacement of a maxillary third molar into the infratemporal fossa is a rare but clinically significant complication due to its deep location and proximity to vital structures. We report a 35-year-old woman presenting with a 10-year history of pain, trismus, and foul-smelling discharge following a failed extraction. Cone-beam computed tomography identified the displaced tooth within the infratemporal fossa. It was successfully removed via an intraoral lateral window approach under local anesthesia, with reconstruction using a buccal fat pad flap and uneventful healing. Fewer than 50 similar cases are reported in the literature. This case is notable for the prolonged diagnostic delay and repeated misdiagnosis as temporomandibular disorder, underscoring the importance of appropriate imaging and clinical suspicion in persistent post-extraction symptoms.

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