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Needle breakage: incidence and prevention
Stanley F Malamed1, Kenneth Reed, Susan Poorsattar
1The Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0641, USA. malamed@usc.edu
Dental Clinics of North America
|September 14, 2010
Summary
Dental needle breakage is rare but can happen. Avoiding common factors during local anesthetic injections can minimize the risk of needle breakage and fragment retention.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Anesthesiology
- Medical Complications
Background:
- Dental local anesthetic needles are typically made of stainless steel and are nonreusable.
- Needle breakage during dental injections is a rare but documented complication.
- Understanding contributing factors is crucial for prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify common factors associated with dental needle breakage.
- To provide insights into minimizing the risk of needle breakage during dental local anesthetic injections.
- To reduce the occurrence of retained needle fragments.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on dental needle breakage incidents.
- Analysis of personal clinical experience with needle breakage.
- Identification of commonalities in cases of needle breakage.
Main Results:
- Several common factors contribute to dental needle breakage.
- Avoiding these specific factors can significantly reduce the incidence of breakage.
- Prevention strategies focus on technique and needle handling.
Conclusions:
- While rare, dental needle breakage remains a potential complication.
- Awareness and avoidance of identified commonalities are key to minimizing risk.
- Proper injection techniques can prevent needle breakage and fragment retention.
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