Risk factors for peri-anaesthetic dental injury

In this retrospective case-control study, we evaluated peri-operative dental injury risk factors following tracheal intubation. Ninety-four of 290,415 patients experienced dental injury following tracheal intubation over a 10-y period. A control group was matched for surgery type and intubating anaesthetist. The incidence of dental injury was 0.03%. Univariate analysis revealed that previous and current difficult intubation, male gender, hepatitis, neurological disease, anticonvulsant use, pre-existing poor dentition and the use of airway devices (other than a laryngoscope) were associated with dental injury. Multivariate analysis revealed that predictors of dental injury were: history of hepatitis, odds ratio (95% CI) 10.1 (1.02-100.3); poor dentition, 8.8 (3.9-20.0); alternative airway device use, 3.1 (1.2-8.0); and intubation difficulty, 3.7 (1.0-13.3). As well as confirming previously reported risk factors for dental injury during tracheal intubation, this study also suggests hepatitis and the use of alternative airway devices as additional risk factors.