CharMiNG PiNS

BY Dr RaJA
SeRIA DeNTAl ClINiC

 Susuk, or charm needles (pins),

are inserted and worn
subcutaneously in the face and
other parts of the : body, as they are believed to
enhance beauty and youth, and
for many other reasons such as
treatment of headache, aches
and pains in the joints, back or
abdomen.

 They are inserted in the

soft tissues of the
body by "bomoh", or
traditional healers who
practice herbal medicine,
using methods which are
traditionally passed
down over generation.

These 2 reported cases

describe two patients
who were evaluated in
the dental department
and incidentally found to
have charm needles on
the plain radiographs:-

1 case
st

A 40?-yr-old Indonesian
Muslim woman presented to
th dental department (KB)
with complaints of pain on
the upper right jaw, she was
fully edentulous and wearing
upper and lower dentures

 OPG x ray : shows a linear radio -opacity object

length about 3-5 cm(about 11 of
them ? ) , dispersed randomly all
over the maxilla region ?
E/O & I/O :The needles are not visible
externally, nor felt on palpation

Note: This is not the patient-I have sent the x

ray to OMF
Surgeon in RIPAS . This is only to show where
the pins are normally located.

10/6/2013
c/o sensitive sensitivity upper quads
12/6/2013
16 AR # filling buccal portion of tooth
restored with CR
24/6/2013
55 yof c/o pain and swelling 16 3/6
I/o 16 filling still intact,gum healthy,
Amoxil 500 mg tds 5/7,brufen 400 mg tds 5/7

nd

case

42 year old malay lady came to our

dental seria c/o pain of the upper
right jaw,(partially edendtulous)
Initially PA xray was taken
NAD
Next step took an OPG :- a small
foreign body seen just below the
lower jaw.. What is it?..

 Although rare, with increasing use of

radiography,
identification of these needles is reported.
It can be
clinically confused with foreign bodies and
as the cause
of patient's symptoms. Based on the site
of the needles,
they can be thought of as introduced
during trauma,
broken acupuncture needles, or as root
fillings or
restorative pins on dental radiograph

Charm needles have not

been noted to cause any
symptoms or adverse
effects. They should be
left alone,
unless they lead to
infection or complications

TERIMA KASIH
DON GO AWAY
MY NEXT LEC ..CL