'Pearls in an oyster': 526 teeth removed from 7-year-old boy's jaw by dentists in India

INDIA -- Dentists in India removed more than 500 teeth from a mass in the jaw of a 7-year-old boy.

The remarkable surgery happened at Saveetha Dental College and Hospital in Chennai, India.

According to the college's website, the boy's parents noticed small swelling in his lower right jaw when he was 3 years old.

However, they refused to allow any investigative procedures since he was so young. The swelling continued over the next four years, so his parents eventually brought him to Saveetha.

During the surgery, the operating surgeon noticed a well-defined bag like mass or "compound odontome" in the boy's mouth. Upon its removal, oral pathologists discovered that it contained 526 tooth-like structures.

"It was reminiscent of pearls in an oyster," the surgeon said.

After five hours, all of the teeth were removed from the sack. They each varied in size from 1mm to 15mm and resembled a "tooth with crown covered by enamel and a root-like structure."

"This Pandora's box of miniature teeth is a jewel on our crown," postgraduates said.