Iatrogenesis and how to prevent it

Every day millions of operative dental procedures are carried out by clinicians worldwide. The majority of these involve the replacement of existing restorations prior to tooth preparation for new direct or indirect restorations. Unfortunately, when anterior and posterior tooth preparations involve proximal surfaces there is a high risk of accidental damage to previously healthy adjacent structures which may have negative consequences for oral health in the short- or long-term.

In many parts of the world, minimally invasive (MI) techniques are now at the forefront of contemporary restorative dentistry and the prevention of iatrogenic damage to hard and soft tissues is one of the fundamental MI principles.

It is well documented that the prevalence of iatrogenic damage is extremely high. Tooth preparation of Class II cavities almost always results in some level of unnecessary damage to adjacent hard tissues¹ and indirect preparations carry a 75% risk of iatrogenic damage to one or both adjacent teeth.²