An unusual accident during a primary molar extraction.
BACKGROUND
Special care must be taken during surgical procedures in children, especially primary tooth extractions. However, despite dentist's effort to perform tooth removal carefully, some accidents may be unavoidable when defective instruments are unknowingly used.


METHODS
This article presents a case of a pediatric dental elevator fracture during a primary mandibular right second molar extraction.


CONCLUSIONS
Although uncommon, instruments breakage may occur during dental and surgical procedures. Therefore, dentists should always check the surgical instrument for signs of breakage and be prepared to solve a possible emergency.
Pierro
Viviane Santos da Silva
VS
Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
de Morais
Andrea Pereira
AP
Granado
Luciana
L
Maia
Lucianne Cople
LC
D000059:Accidents; D002648:Child; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000473:pathology; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*