Doctors in India have discovered a fully developed tooth inside the eye socket of a 16-year-old boy who sought medical attention for unusual swelling above his left eye. The rare condition was identified through medical imaging, and the tooth was later removed through surgery.
The teenager was brought to Aravind Eye Hospital in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, after experiencing painless swelling above his left eyelid for about a month. Two small, hard, white structures had become visible between his upper eyelid and eyebrow, prompting doctors to investigate the unusual condition.
Initially, doctors suspected a possible teratoma, a type of tumor that can contain different tissues, including hair, bone and teeth. However, further examination was needed to determine the exact nature of the growth.
A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a fully developed canine tooth attached to the upper bony region of the eye socket. Both the crown and root had formed, with parts of the tooth protruding beneath the skin.
Surgeons subsequently removed the tooth. Examination confirmed that it was not part of a teratoma but an ectopic tooth, meaning a tooth that develops outside its normal position in the mouth.
Although ectopic teeth have previously been reported in unusual locations, including the nose, palate, jaw and lower part of the eye socket, researchers said that finding a fully developed tooth in the upper portion of the eye socket had not been documented in earlier medical literature.
The exact reason the tooth developed in this unusual location remains unclear. Doctors described the case as an extremely rare developmental abnormality.
The case was reported by Meghna Tanwar, Vedant Sharma and Usha Kim in the ophthalmology journal Ophthalmology. The research was published online on January 16, 2026, and later appeared in the journal’s June issue.
Reporting by Borderless for The Borderless Journal. Filed under Uncategorized · 16 Oct 2026, 13:00.
