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Mourão J, Neto J et al. Dent Traumatol 2011; 27: 127–130

In this prospective study, 121 adults were examined for injuries to the teeth and soft tissues before and after receiving general anaesthesia. The airway was managed using either 1) laryngoscopy and orotracheal intubation, or 2) a laryngeal mask positioned without the use of a laryngoscope. When the anaesthetists used laryngoscopy (type(s) of laryngoscope not stated), it was reported that over 80% of the patients suffered some form of oral injury with over one-third affecting the teeth. Nevertheless, when a laryngeal mask was used, the investigators still reported that one in every five patients suffered an injury, although in only 2.0% was there damage to the teeth. Taken as a whole, most of the injuries to teeth comprised fractures to enamel with avulsion of teeth being rare. The investigators did not give details as to how they linked the tooth injury to the method of airway management.