title: Needle breakage: incidence and prevention.
abstract: Since the introduction of nonreusable, stainless steel dental local anesthetic needles, needle breakage has become an extremely rare complication of dental local anesthetic injections. But although rare, dental needle breakage can, and does, occur. Review of the literature and personal experience brings into focus several commonalities which, when avoided, can minimize the risk of needle breakage with the fragment being retained from occurring.
authors.affiliation: The Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0641, USA. malamed@usc.edu
authors.forename: Stanley F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Malamed
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poorsattar
mesh_terms: D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004209:Disposable Equipment; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D009339:Needles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012308:Risk Management
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local