Affiliations 

  • 1 Reader, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Dr Syamala Reddy Dental College Hospital & Research Centre , Bangalore,India
  • 2 Reader, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Dr Syamala Reddy Dental College Hospital & Research Centre , Bangalore,India
J Clin Diagn Res, 2014 Jul;8(7):ZD03-4.
PMID: 25177646 DOI: 10.7860/JCDR/2014/8671.4546

Abstract

Susuk or charm needles are a facial cum body art widely practiced among women of Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. These are small, needle-shaped metallic talismans inserted subcutaneously in different parts of the body. The concealed art of susuk was "exposed" by routine radiographic examination in the oral and maxillofacial region. This paper reports two such cases of unusual incidental radiographic finding in dental radiographs which were taken on a routine basis as part of the diagnostic work up. This article will also primarily enlighten the importance of radiographs in detecting such charm needles as the wearer keeps the body art a "hidden secret" thereby avoiding misdiagnosis.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.