Dental Malpractice in Implant Dentistry in Saudi Arabia: Preoperative and Intraoperative Complications

Aim: The aim of this study was to detect preoperative and intraoperative dental malpractice in the field of implant dentistry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Materials and Methods: 115 patients aged ≥ 18 years with at least one professional malpractice in implant dentistry done in dental health premises in Saudi Arabia were included in the study. Clinical and Radiographic examinations were used to detect preoperative complications (poor patient selection, diagnosis, inappropriate treatment planning) and intraoperative complications (damage to adjacent tooth, inferior alveolar nerve damage, sinus penetration, and implant positional failure due to poor surgical execution).The data obtained including age and gender were documented in a patient examination form then statistically analyzed using Chi-Square Test and Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient.

Results: More than half of the patients were females (62.6%). The majority of the patients were in the age group 50-60 years (31.3%). Also, the majority of the patients had implants with malpractice placed in the posterior region. Exactly half of the patients had implants with malpractice placed in the maxilla. In addition, exactly half of the patients had technical errors violating the surrounding structures; (39.1%) of the patients had damage to adjacent tooth, (11.3%) had inferior alveolar nerve damage, and (4.3%) had sinus penetration.

Conclusion: Patients were equally divided between implant positional failure due to preoperative inappropriate treatment planning and that due to intraoperative poor surgical execution. Solid theoretical knowledge and polished surgical skills are key success factors for accurate implant placement.