Minor Dental Injuries (Cracks) due to Oral and Nasal Endotracheal Intubation and Related Factors in Tehran Taleghani Hospital

Oral and dental injuries commonly occur during oral and nasal intubation and comprise one third of lawsuits against anesthesiologists. This study sought to assess dental traumas(especially minor injuries like cracks) due to oral and nasal intubation and related risk factors. This observational prospective study was conducted on 60 patients (30 patients in the oral and 30 in the nasal intubation groups) during 2010-2011 in Taleghani Hospital in Tehran. Patients were examined using a disposable sterile clinical examination kit, a periodontal probe and a light curing unit. Maxillary central incisors had the highest incidence of new cracks (60% and 63.3% in the oral and nasal intubation groups, respectively). Gender, BMI, ASA class, Angle’s classification, and experience of the operator who inserted the tube had no significant association with higher frequency of cracks in the two groups. Incidence of visible dental injuries following nasal and oral intubation was 1.7% and 10%, respectively. Invisible dental injuries due to intubation are highly prevalent. These injuries are mostly disregarded by the anesthesiologists since they are not visible and do not cause any complication or problem during anesthesia. Enhancing the knowledge of anesthesiologists about dental anatomy, physiology and pathology and use of teeth-guard are necessary measures to prevent such injuries.