A broken tooth at 12.000 feet

Year 2015, Volume: 1 Issue: 1, 8 - 9, 19.03.2015

Üner Beköz , Erdinç Ercan

Abstract

• In this short paper, one of the very rarely reported cases of dental barotraumas, called odontocrexis is reported. A single engine C-172 with no pressure cabin takes off from sea level and climbs up to 12000 feet in relatively short time. 23 year old PIC of the aircraft suddenly goes down with severe tooth pain and becomes incapacitated. His molar tooth breaks and falls apart mostly because of mistreatment. Aircraft safely lands under control of by flying pilot and PIC’s tooth is successfully restored. This incident causes considerations upon aeromedical examinations and lack of understanding of basic gas laws.
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Keywords

dentisty, aviation, dental fracture, odontocrexis

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