title: Analysis of professional malpractice claims in implant dentistry in Italy from insurance company technical reports, 2006 to 2010.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to analyze the characteristics of implant dentistry claims in Italy based on insurance company technical reports for malpractice claims.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred twenty-one technical reports of cases of professional malpractice in implant dentistry between 2006 and 2010 were included in the study. Data included the sex and age of the patient and dentist, the kind of negligence claimed, and the damages awarded as a consequence of the alleged misconduct.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the cases examined in this study, 9.9% went to court. The patients were female in 73.6% of the cases. Most of the technical errors were committed during implant insertion (82.6%). In 50.4% of cases, the technical error involved the surrounding structures, such as damage to the inferior alveolar nerve (32.2%) or the lingual nerve (2.5%), invasion of the maxillary sinus (9.1%), or pulpal dental necrosis in adjacent teeth (6.6%). Incomplete clinical documentation was apparent in 54.5% of cases. In 9.9% of cases, a civil suit had already been filed before a visit, and medicolegal advice from the insurance expert had been procured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The discrepancy between the total number of cases examined and those that went to court indicates that implant malpractice claims in Italy are most often settled out of court. The large number of intraoperative errors seen and the high proportion of injuries to surrounding structures suggest that implant dentists would benefit from further specific training. Also, clinical documentation vital to a defense against any claims relating to professional misconduct was incomplete or absent in more than half of the cases.
authors.forename: Vilma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pinchi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Varvara
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pradella
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Focardi
authors.forename: Michele D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Donati
authors.forename: Gianaristide
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Norelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D035881:Compensation and Redress / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015921:Dental Implants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003790:Dental Pulp Necrosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003792:Dental Records / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007347:Insurance, Dental / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016365:Liability, Legal; D061222:Lingual Nerve Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D008443:Maxillary Sinus / Q000293:injuries; D008875:Middle Aged; D061221:Trigeminal Nerve Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants