Dental malpractice in Sweden.

This study reports and analyses the handling of malpractice cases by the Swedish authorities from an odontological and legal point of view, in order to find explanatory factors and create a basis for prevention and discussion of the principles for processing such cases. Women report their dentists more often than men. The main reasons for complaint are "faulty management/performance of treatment," "unsatisfactory technical/esthetic quality," and "wrong diagnosis/indication." Many cases concern elementary and well-known clinical principles for investigation, treatment planning, and clinical management. Private practitioners from the Stockholm region are most often involved in malpractice cases, and most of the complaints concern prosthodontic treatment. Poor record keeping is not uncommon.