Risk factors for peri-anaesthetic dental injury

Abstract

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.