Incidental foreign bodies beyond the jaws on cone-beam computed tomography: Report of 5 cases

Cone-beam computed tomography is used to evaluate the teeth and jaws and for orthodontic assessment and implant treatment planning. Compared with panoramic radiography, it provides cross-sectional imaging and a large field of view, enabling superimposition-free assessment beyond the dentoalveolar region. Consequently, incidental findings unrelated to the original indication are commonly encountered and have been reported in up to 94% of examinations. These findings include anatomic variants, soft-tissue calcifications, foreign bodies, and lesions that may warrant clinical management, often in sinonasal spaces and other soft tissues. This report showed 5 cases of incidentally detected foreign bodies. Three foreign bodies in the maxillary sinus or facial soft tissue were not recognized on panoramic radiographs and were detected on cone-beam computed tomography. Two suspected on panoramic radiography were further characterized with definitive localization and morphology. These cases emphasized that careful review of the entire image volume was essential to prevent missed foreign bodies.