Pain and paresthesia secondary to loose Kirschner wires.

A clinical case is reported in which pain, swelling, and paresthesia of the left submandibular area and tongue was variously diagnosed as a sublingual infection, a submandibular gland infection or tumor, nonunion of the mandible from previous orthognathic surgery seven years earlier, and finally as a sequela to loose Kirschner wires used as fixation in the previously mentioned surgery. Proper diagnosis by history, examination, and radiology, followed by surgical removal of two loose Kirschner wires resulted in complete remission of all symptoms.