title: [Needle breakage during mandibular block anaesthesia: prevention and retrieval].
abstract: Disposable needles for dental local anaesthesia do not break easily. Still, needle breakage does occur, and is mainly caused by unexpected movements of the patient or pre-use bending of the needle by the dentist. If a dental needle breaks while administering local anaesthesia, the dentist should prevent panic. If the patient opens his mouth wide the needle might still be visible. If so, the needle is removed. If the needle is no longer visible, the site where the needle has penetrated the mucosa should be marked with a permanent marker. The dentist will contact a maxillofacial surgeon for immediate consultation. The maxillofacial surgeon will try to retrieve the broken dental needle under general anaesthesia.
authors.affiliation: Uit de afdeling Mondziekten en Kaakchirurgie/Orale pathologie, Vrij Universiteit medisch centrum/het Academisch Centrum Tandheelkunde Amsterdam (ACTA). ja.baart@vumc.nl
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Baart
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: van Amerongen
authors.forename: K J M
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: R H B
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Allard
mesh_terms: D003762:Dental Instruments; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D009339:Needles; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011859:Radiography