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Foreign Bodies in Extraction Socket: An Outcome of Negligence and Proposal of a Classification with its Medico-legal Implications

Journal of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery volume 20, pages 649–656 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Removal of tooth is just a routine dental surgical practice, where negligence is a must avoidable contingence. Still, few complications may arise during or after the procedure. One of the rare complications is the breakage of surgical instrument or presence of any foreign body (FB) in extraction socket. This may be due to improper handling of a surgical instrument or using substandard tools, which may lead to breakage of the instrument or any negligence by the patient himself. This negligence can be on various levels, like professionals, manufacturers or patients. All these events may cause serious outcomes pertaining to the medicolegal issues.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to classify the negligence in oral surgery for legitimacy with possible management for the retrieval of the FB and discuss various Indian Penal Codes for Medical Negligence according to the Constitution of India and its implications.

Method

Diagnosis and surgical retrieval of FB associated with extraction socket were performed in three cases. Incision, flap reflection, identification of FB and successful retrieval followed by suturing under local anesthesia were achieved. Routine medications were prescribed. The FB were sent for stereomicroscopic examination.

Result

All the patients were followed up after a week, and no complications were observed. Suture removal was carried out, and oral hygiene instructions were given. The FB were found to be piece of lead, broken tip of a dental elevator and broken diamond round bur.

Conclusion

The negligence can occur at any stage, and it has its medicolegal aspects. This negligence can be apprehended in front of the Indian Penal Code for Medical Negligence. Hence, a classification is required to understand and subdivide the negligence to find the legitimacy over the medicolegal implications.

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Abbreviations

FB:

Foreign body

IOPA:

Intraoral periapical radiograph

PN:

Professional negligence

MN:

Manufacturer negligence

PN:

Patients negligence

SS:

Stainless steel

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dentistry, Govt. Medical College, Ram Nagar, Chandrapur, Maharashtra, 442402, India

    Ajit Joshi

  2. Department of Trauma and Emergency Medicine, AIIMS, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Anuj Jain

  3. Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Manubhai Patel Dental College, Near Vishwajoti Ashram, Munjmahuda, Vadodara, Gujarat, 390011, India

    Harleen Kaur Soni

Authors
  1. Ajit Joshi
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  2. Anuj Jain
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  3. Harleen Kaur Soni
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Correspondence to Ajit Joshi.

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Conflict of interest

Dr. Ajit Joshi, Dr. Anuj Jain and Dr. Harleen Soni declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all the patients for the study.

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Joshi, A., Jain, A. & Soni, H.K. Foreign Bodies in Extraction Socket: An Outcome of Negligence and Proposal of a Classification with its Medico-legal Implications. J. Maxillofac. Oral Surg. 20, 649–656 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12663-020-01394-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12663-020-01394-z

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