Complication of local dental anesthesia - a broken needle in the pterygomandibular space

Abstract

Broken dental needles are a rare event. They are difficult to find and remove. This paper reports a case of broken needle in the pterygomandibular space. The needle was localized using plain radiograph and removed under local anesthesia and venous sedation. Preventing needle breakage is important, as it can be a traumatic experience for the patient. Practitioners should routinely inspect dental needles before administering injections and minimize the number of repeated injections using the same needle. A meticulous injection technique is imperative. If breakage occurs, immediate referral to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is necessary. It is strongly recommended that only an oral and maxillofacial surgeon may indicate and/or perform surgery to remove the broken needle.