Legal Aspects of Implant Tomography

[Kenneth Abramovitch]

Barry,
I got this reference from Pete Benson.  An attorney recommends advanced
imaging beyond just a panoramic film for pre-surg. implant evaluations to
avoid potential litigation problems.

Zinman EJ.  Dentists and the Law:  Full disclosure (Letter).  Dental
Management  31(4):52-3, 1991.
Ken

At 09:44 AM 2/20/97 -0400, you wrote:
>>Barry
>>
>>Not published, but when David hatcher spoke to the AAOMR a few years ago he
>>made mention of a case in the courts in California where the surgeon had
>>not used more than a pantomograph, I believe, had perforated the lingual
>>cortex and severed an artery. I believe that the patient died.
>>
>>Rgds
>>Axel
>>
>>>Is anyone aware of published cases where negligence was attributed for the
>>>failure of, or for the injury resulting from the placement of
>>>osseointegrated implants for tooth replacement without the appropriate
>>>tomograms?
>>>
>>>BPass
>>>
>
>There was an article published in J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. 48:201-204
>1990 by M. E. Mason et al. titled "Life-threatening hemorrhage from
>plcement of a dental implant." No mention was made of the pre-op imaging,
>but one could guess tomography was not used. As with many surgeons, they
>likely believed that with flaps raised they would have all the information
>on bone morphology needed. The conclusion reached by the article is "Those
>performing endosteal implant placement should be knowledgeable in the
>management of such [hemorrhage, etc.] complications." No mention is made of
>prevention through appropriate imaging during treatment planning.
>
>BP
>
>
>
>             **********************************
>Barry Pass, DDS, PhD
>
>Head, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
>Director, Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory
>
>Dalhousie University
>
>Halifax, Nova Scotia
>
>Canada  B3H 3J5
>
>Tel: (902)494-1405            E-mail: bpass at ac.dal.ca
>Fax: (902)494-2527            WWW: http://bpass.dentistry.dal.ca
>
>            ************************************
>
>