Search

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) applied before mandibular third molar extractions on postoperative pain, swelling, and trismus., Materials and Methods: The study included 28 patients aged 18-45 years with bilaterally impacted mandibular third molars in similar positions, indicated for extraction based on clinical and radiographic examinations. Patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 received LLLT 10 min before surgery, while Group 2 (control group) underwent routine impacted tooth extraction after applying blue LED light. Measurements were taken preoperatively and at 24 h (T0), 48 h (T1), and 7 days (T2) postoperatively to assess the effects of LLLT on pain, swelling, and trismus. Statistical analysis was performed using the Jamovi 2.2.5 software. Due to the non-normal data distribution, the Friedman test was used for repeated measures within groups, while the Mann-Whitney U test was employed to compare the laser and control groups., Results: The study included 23 female (82.14%) and 5 male (17.86%) patients, with a mean age of 21.34 ± 4.37 years. No statistically significant differences were observed between the laser and control groups concerning pain, trismus, and swelling at T0, T1, and T2 (p > 0.05)., Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, preoperative LLLT showed clinically acceptable effects on postoperative pain, swelling, and trismus. Further clinical studies are needed to evaluate the long-term success of LLLT., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, with the decision dated 20.07.2022 (2022/05) and by the Turkish Ministry of Health, Medical Device and Drug Authority, with approval number 68869993-511.06-835580. The study was conducted in compliance with the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Both written and oral informed consents were obtained from the patients and their legal guardians. Consent for publication: Informed consent from all subjects for publication of identifying information/ in an online open-access publication has been obtained. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars is often followed by postoperative sequelae like pain, swelling, trismus, etc. This systematic review explored the benefits of applying different autologous platelet concentrates (APCs) in the extraction socket of third molars. For this systematic review, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus have been utilized, initially yielding 544 papers. The search was narrowed to randomized controlled trials (RCTs, n = 59) published before 2024, all comparing the outcome of applying APCs in the extraction socket of surgically removed impacted mandibular third molars with unassisted healing (blood clot). Most RCTs primarily assessed the impact of APCs on postoperative sequelae. Some RCTs looked at soft- and hard-tissue healing. Eleven studies used PRP, three PRGF, and 45 L-PRF. A detailed analysis revealed a large heterogeneity between studies rendering a meta-analysis impossible. Moreover, the risk of bias was considered high. In the majority of RCTs, the application of an APC resulted in statistically significant reductions of postoperative sequelae (lower pain intensity, lower consumption of analgesics, less postoperative edema, and a lower incidence of trismus and alveolar osteitis), as well as a faster soft tissue healing, and qualitatively and quantitatively better bone healing. A minority of studies reported significant differences in periodontal parameters distally from the second molar., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Our research aims to assess the prevalence of surgical site infections (SSI) following impacted mandibular third molar extractions. Two independent reviewers conducted a comprehensive systematic literature search across Medline, Scopus and Cochrane Central databases. The pooled prevalence, accompanied by 95% confidence intervals (CI), was calculated. Quality assessments, outlier and influential analyses were performed. Our meta-analysis included seventeen eligible studies, encompassing a total of 37,585 impacted mandibular third molar extractions. The overall prevalence of SSI following impacted mandibular third molar extractions was estimated at 1.7% (95% CI 1%-2.6%), indicating considerable heterogeneity among the studies. No study was identified as critically influential. This study highlights the imperative for future well-constructed prospective and retrospective investigations to deepen our understanding of the etiological nuances and refine management approaches for this prevalent postoperative complication., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: It has been outlined that LTM (Lower third molar) extracted from patients in which grinding, cleaning, sterilization & demineralization prove to be highly effective as graft material for filling the alveolar socket of the very same patient. These investigations aim to assess the efficiency of ADDM (Autogenous Demineralized Dentin Matrix) graft in third molar extraction sockets., Purpose: To check the effectiveness of ADDM as graft material in extraction socket by evaluating pain, swelling, trismus, PD (Probing Depth) and bone density., Study Design, Setting, Sample: A prospective, randomized control trial was conducted at our institute. The patients were haphazardly, non-blindly alienated into two groups. Group A (45 patients) on the test side after LTM impaction surgery will receive ADDM graft material with bio-collagen membrane and Group B (45 patients) on the control side underwent LTM removal, with the alveolus left to heal conventionally by forming a blood clot., Results: Swelling showed significant difference between CG (Control Group) and TG (Test Group), the intergroup comparison of change in the swelling scores at seventh post-operative day (from pre-op level) was significantly higher in the TG (117.35) as compared to the CGs (115.92) (p = 0.001). A statistically significant difference in probing depth was also noted between the two groups, CG 4.46 ± 1.252 & TG 2.52 ± 0.641 in the post-operative examination at three months. In our study radiographical evaluation revealed progressive increase in bone density in TG (135.81 ± 8.73) when compared to CG (121.59 ± 13.83) over a period of three months. Pain and trismus evaluation did not reveal any significant difference between TG & CG., Conclusion: The clinical results of the ADDM graft procedure demonstrate satisfactory outcomes in extraction sockets. The findings of this study highlight the importance of preservation methods in maintaining the periodontal pocket depth distal to the second molar and the remaining alveolar ridge following extraction., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of University teerthanker mahaveer dental college and reasearch centre “TMDCRC/IEC/21–22/OMFS3”. Consent to participate: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The analgesic efficacy and safety of liposomal bupivacaine (LB) in third molar extraction was evaluated in this phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of subjects undergoing bilateral third molar extraction. Subjects were randomized 2: 1 to infiltration with LB (133 mg/10 mL) or placebo, and received opioid rescue medication as needed. Primary efficacy measure was cumulative area under the curve (AUC) of numeric rating scale (NRS) pain severity scores through 48 hours (AUC of NRS0-48) postsurgery. Other measures included AUC of NRS0-24, AUC of NRS0-72, and AUC of NRS0-96, and incidence of adverse events. There were 150 subjects in the primary efficacy population (n = 99 LB, n = 51 placebo) and 89 in the per-protocol population (n = 59 LB, n = 30 placebo). Least-squares mean for AUC of NRS0-48 was 172.3 LB versus 194.7 placebo (P = .227) in the primary efficacy population and 120.8 LB versus 183.3 placebo (P = .023) in the per-protocol population. At all time points, between-group differences in AUC of NRS scores were significant in the per-protocol population (LB lower than placebo, P < .05) but not in the primary efficacy population. The adverse event profile was similar between groups. LB produced significantly lower cumulative pain scores versus placebo at all time points in the per-protocol analysis but not in the primary efficacy analysis because of protocol violations. This study indicates significant improvement in pain scores in the third molar model, but because of extensive protocol violations additional studies are warranted to demonstrate effectiveness.

Background: Protocols are currently being studied in preventing postoperative complications after exodontia., Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate whether the application of intra-alveolar honey reduces inflammatory complications after the extraction of mandibular third molars (CRD 42.023.467.041)., Methods: Searches were carried out in six electronic databases. Clinical trials comparing intra-alveolar honey administration with non-intervention or placebo after mandibular third molar extraction were selected to assess their impact on postoperative inflammatory parameters. The Cochrane ROB 2 tool was used to assess the bias risk in included studies, Stata software to conduct a meta-analysis for quantitative synthesis, and the GRADE system to evaluate the certainty of the evidence., Results: This systematic review included 5 studies with 330 participants, and two studies were included in the meta-analysis. The results of the meta-analysis demonstrated that postoperative pain on the second day [MD: - 1.05; 95% CI - 2 to - 0.1] and fifth day [MD: - 0.97; 95% CI - 1.97 to - 0.03] was lower in the honey group compared to the control group. Total analgesic consumption [MD: - 4.77; 95% CI - 6.73 to - 2.81] was also lower in patients in the intervention group. The descriptive results indicated that honey appears to be beneficial in controlling edema, reducing trismus, and improving healing after extraction of third molars. Alveolar osteitis showed inconclusive results., Conclusions: The use of intra-alveolar honey after extraction of mandibular third molars seem to be associated with pain reduction. For the other outcomes, the results remain uncertain., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: This study aims to compare the outcomes of suture-less and multiple suture closure methods on postoperative pain, swelling, and trismus, and associated complications., Materials and Methods: This prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Goa Dental College & Hospital. Inclusion criteria encompassed subjects aged between 17 and 55 years, classified as American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) I, with asymptomatic impacted third molars falling within the moderately difficult impaction range (Pederson's difficulty index: 5-7). Study excluded individuals classified as ASA II, III, or IV, those with known or suspected allergies to the anaesthetic solution, immunocompromised patients, and individuals taking medications that could affect healing. Pregnant or lactating females and those with a history of bleeding disorders were also excluded. Wound closure methods were compared: Group A underwent primary closure with silk sutures, while Group B had suture-less closure. Subjects were allocated to the specific groups using a simple randomization method. This involved using a lottery-based random sequence to assign each participant to either Group A or Group B. Pain intensity, facial swelling, and trismus were key outcomes. Secondary outcomes included lingual nerve sensation and postoperative complications. Demographics factors, surgical details, radiographic and perioperative data, and physiological parameters were considered. Non-parametric tests and parametric test (repeated measure ANOVA) were employed. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05., Results: Among 101 participants, both closure techniques exhibited similar outcomes in pain, swelling, and lingual nerve function. However, suture-less closure resulted in significantly less trismus and fewer cases of delayed wound healing., Conclusions: Suture-less method after surgical removal of third molar may reduce trismus compared to multiple sutures. While pain, swelling, and lingual nerve function management were comparable., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Our research aims to assess the prevalence of alveolar osteitis (AO) following impacted mandibular third molar extractions and investigate the impact of potential moderating factors on this occurrence. Two independent reviewers conducted a comprehensive systematic literature search across Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. The pooled prevalence, accompanied by 95 % confidence intervals (CI), was calculated. Quality assessments, outlier and influential analyses were performed. Subgroup and meta-regression analysis were conducted in order the effect of categorical and continuous variables on the estimated prevalence to be investigated. Our meta-analysis included twenty-eight eligible studies, encompassing a total of 41,859 impacted mandibular third molar extractions. The overall prevalence of dry socket (DS) following impacted mandibular third molar extractions was estimated at 6.7 % (95 % CI 4.6-9.1 %), indicating considerable heterogeneity among the studies. No study was identified as critically influential, and meta-regression analysis did not pinpoint any potential sources of heterogeneity. This study highlights the imperative for future well-constructed prospective and retrospective investigations to deepen our understanding of the etiological nuances and refine management approaches for this prevalent postoperative complication., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to systematically review the literature to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality in reducing anxiety and pain in patients undergoing third molar surgeries. Clinical trials evaluating patients who used virtual reality (VR) compared with no VR in the management of pain or anxiety after third molar extractions were included. A literature search was conducted in five electronic databases to identify relevant articles: Medline (PubMed interface), Web of Science, Virtual Health Library, Embase, and Scopus. There were no restrictions on the time or language of publication. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomised Trials (RoB 2.0). A total of six studies were included in the qualitative analysis and three in the quantitative analysis. The results of the meta-analyses on anxiety revealed that patients in the intervention group before VR already showed less anxiety compared to those in the control group (-0.28 [-0.44 to -0.13, 95%CI] I²=24.51%. In the post-intervention evaluation, the group that received VR remained with a lower level of anxiety and a slight reduction compared to the pre-intervention. (-0.34 [-0.49 to -0.19, 95%CI] I²=36.61%. Virtual reality can be a clinical resource in dental care because it seems to cause a small reduction in anxiety, and with still uncertain results in the reduction of postoperative pain in extractions of third molars., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: The study aimed to examine the authenticity of the often-mentioned statement that the third molar is the most frequently extracted tooth. This finding has not been shown previously in a large population-based sample., Materials and Methods: Data comprised a nationally representative sample of 6082 panoramic radiographs taken from adults in the cross-sectional Health 2000 Survey. From the radiographs, all missing teeth were recorded. Information on congenital agenesis of individual teeth was retrieved from two published meta-analyses. Primary outcome was the frequency of missing teeth by tooth type. Explanatory variables were age, sex, and the jaw (maxilla/mandible). Statistical analyses included χ 2 test and binomial logistic regression., Results: Mean age of participants (46% men, 54% women) was 53 years (SD 14.6; range 30‒97 years). Missing teeth occurred more often in women than in men (P < 0.001). The third molar was most frequently missing and the canine least frequently. In the maxilla and mandible, the third molar was missing more often than each of the other tooth types up to the age of 80 years (P < 0.01)., Conclusions: When considering the rates of congenital agenesis of individual teeth, it is concluded that the third molar remained the most common tooth extracted up till the age of 80 years., Clinical Relevance: The third molar is the most common target for extraction, but also the most common tooth associated with malpractice claims, and therefore, calls for skills, adequate equipment, and other resources for a successful extraction., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Mental nerve paresthesia is a serious postoperative complication of mandibular third molar extraction. It appears that no study has examined the relationship between the surface morphology of the mandibular third molar roots and the possibility of mental nerve paresthesia following tooth extraction. Therefore, the root morphology of the mandibular third molars was examined according to age using dental cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), and the possibility of mental nerve paresthesia following tooth extraction was evaluated. The study included 1216 patients who had undergone mandibular third molar extractions. The root morphology of 1534 teeth in 791 patients who had CBCT performed before surgery was studied. Factors evaluated were age, complete or incomplete formation of the mandibular third molar roots, periodontal ligament atrophy of the mandibular third molar roots, hypercementosis, and mandibular canal deformation. Mandibular third molar root formation was completed between the ages of 19 and 30 years. Complete formation of the mandibular third molar roots (P = 0.002) and deformation of the mandibular canal (P < 0.001) were identified as risk factors for mental nerve paresthesia. These findings suggest that the risk of mental nerve paresthesia could be reduced if the extraction of third molars is performed prior to complete root formation., (Copyright © 2023 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: There is little evidence regarding risk prediction for surgical site infection (SSI) after lower third molar (L3M) surgery., Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study to develop a multivariable logistic model for predicting the risk of SSI after L3M surgery. Data were obtained from Hokkaido University Hospital from April 2013 to March 2020. Multiple imputation was applied for the missing values. We conducted decision tree (DT) analysis to evaluate the combinations of factors affecting SSI risk., Results: We identified 648 patients. The final model retained the available distal space (Pell & Gregory II [p = 0.05], Pell & Gregory III [p < 0.01]), depth (Pell & Gregory B [p < 0.01], Pell & Gregory C [p < 0.01]), surgeon's experience (3-10 years [p = 0.25], <3 years [p < 0.01]), and simultaneous extraction of both L3M [p < 0.01]; the concordance-statistic was 0.72. The DT analysis demonstrated that patients with Pell and Gregory B or C and simultaneous extraction of both L3M had the highest risk of SSI., Conclusions: We developed a model for predicting SSI after L3M surgery with adequate predictive metrics in a single center. This model will make the SSI risk prediction more accessible., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Selective outcome reporting (SOR) can threaten the validity of results found in clinical trials. Some studies in the literature have analyzed SOR in dentistry, but there is no study that has observed SOR in clinical trials in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Impacted third molar surgery is one of the most used models in clinical trials to study mainly analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug interventions. Our study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of SOR in publications employing the third molar extraction clinical trial model, and to verify whether there was an association between the statistical significance of outcomes and other characteristics that could lead to SOR. A systematic search was performed on the ClinicialTrials.gov platform for randomized clinical trial protocols, using the condition of third molar extraction. The corresponding published articles were sourced in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases, and compared with the registered protocols regarding the methodological data, in terms of: sample calculation, primary outcome identification, end-point periods, insertion of new outcomes in the publication, and results of outcomes. 358 protocol records were retrieved; 87 presented their corresponding articles. SOR was identified in 28.74% of the publications, and had a significant relationship with changes in the protocol, insertions of new outcomes, and discrepancies in the types of study. General risk of bias was found to be low. There were associations between SOR and the discrepancies in terms of the type of study, the choice of new outcome, and changes in the history of protocol records. The prevalence of SOR in clinical research using the third molar extraction surgery model is moderate. The quality of the scientific reporting of the results and, consequently, the certainty of evidence relating to the intervention tested can be overstated, increasing the chances of misinterpretation by health professionals., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no conflicts of interest related to this study., (Copyright © 2024 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of 4% articaine associated with epinephrine (1:100,000), and 2% lidocaine associated with epinephrine (1:100,000) in third molar extraction surgery., Methods: Sixty patients who underwent surgeries to extract upper and lower third molars were included in this split-mouth, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial. The groups in this study were divided according to the anesthetic solution used to provide local anesthesia during extraction of upper and lower third molars: (1) 4% articaine associated with epinephrine (1:100,000); (2) 2% lidocaine associated with epinephrine (1:100,000). The time to the beginning and end of the sensation of analgesia, pain sensation according to the VAS scale, and number of anesthetic tubes necessary for supplementation were analyzed., Results: It was found that the onset time for analgesia was shorter on the side anesthetized with articaine compared to the side anesthetized with lidocaine (122.1 ± 52.90 s vs. 144.5 ± 68.85 s) (p < 0.05). In addition, the number of tubes used for anesthetic supplementation was also reduced on the articaine side compared to the lidocaine side (0.26 ± 0.48 vs. 0.50 ± 0.75) (p < 0.05). There were no differences between the anesthetic solutions in the other evaluated parameters., Conclusion: It can be concluded that the use of 4% articaine associated with epinephrine (1:100,000) reduced the time of onset of analgesia and the necessity for anesthetic supplementation in third molar extraction surgeries compared to the use of 2% lidocaine associated with epinephrine (1:100,000)., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of perioperative parenteral administration or submucosal infiltration of tramadol for perioperative pain control on the basis of pain intensity or analgesics consumption and perioperative outcomes in mandibular third molar surgery., Material-Methods: An electronic database search was conducted up to 10 November 2022 to retrieve all randomized controlled trials (RCTs), assessing the analgesic efficacy of parenteral use of tramadol implemented as an adjunct to local anesthesia or intraoperative sedation/general anesthesia, in surgical extraction of mandibular third molars. Modified Jadad scale and Cochrane bias tool were used for the qualitative appraisal., Results: Nineteen RCTs were selected for qualitative analysis. Nine studies involved intravenous, and 5 intramuscular administration of tramadol, while 5 evaluated submucosal infiltration with tramadol. Intravenous or intramuscular tramadol provided a weaker analgesic effect compared with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), while intravenous tramadol induced an enhanced analgesic effect than oral tramadol. Parenteral administration of tramadol improved the quality of postoperative analgesia versus placebo. No notable adverse effects were recorded., Conclusions: Parenteral or submucosal infiltration of tramadol constitutes an effective and safe alternative analgesic approach in surgical extraction of mandibular third molars, yet the nociceptive effect of this analgesic modality could not supersede that of NSAIDs., Trial Registration: PROSPERO No CRD42021227574., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Bone removal is commonly used in the extraction of third molars and the heat generated during the process can interfere with the repair of bone. The aim of this study was to evaluate the temperature variation presented in bone removal performed with a high-speed turbine (400000 rpm), implant motor with straight piece (100000 rpm), low-speed micromotor (20000 rpm) and piezoelectric saw (30 kHz) in pig mandibles. For this, bone removal was carried out around 20 posterior teeth, under constant saline solution irrigation with a syringe and needle. In addition, the time required to perform bone removal was recorded. The results indicated a mean (SD) temperature variation of 0.96 °C (0.6 °C) for the high-speed turbine, 1.38 °C (0.5 °C) with the implant motor, 2.22 °C (0.7 °C) for the low-speed micromotor and 2.90 °C (1.3 °C) for the piezoelectric saw. The conventional variance was calculated discounting the variation of time used for bone removal around the teeth. There was a statistically significant difference in temperature variation between the high-speed turbine vs the micromotor (p = 0.009) and the high speed micromotor vs the piezoelectric saw (p = 0.04). We conclude that there is a statistically significant difference in temperature variation between the instruments used in oral and maxillofacial surgery, with higher rotation speeds resulting in the lowest temperature variations and a reduced surgical time., (Copyright © 2024 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of pregabalin and dexamethasone coadministration in preemptive analgesia and anxiety control in lower third molar surgery., Materials and Methods: A triple-blind, split-mouth clinical trial conducted with patients divided into two groups: control group, receiving placebo and dexamethasone, and test group, receiving pregabalin and dexamethasone preoperatively. The evaluated variables were pain, measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), anxiety assessed through the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaires, hemodynamic parameters [Blood Pressure (BP), Heart Rate (HR), Oxygen Saturation (SpO 2 )], and sedation assessed by the Ramsay scale., Results: A total of 31 patients were included. The test group exhibited a significant reduction in pain at 2,4,6,8,12,16,24, and 48 h after surgery and in the consumption of rescue analgesics. Anxiety, evaluated by STAI and VAS, showed a significant decrease in the test group (p < 0.001). Additionally, there was a significant decrease in BP at most of the assessed time points (p < 0.05) and a significant reduction in HR at two different time intervals (p = 0.003 and p = 0.009), indicating a positive effect in the test group. There was no significant difference in SpO 2 between the groups. Sedation assessment revealed a significant difference at all time points favoring the test group (p < 0.05). There were no significant postoperative adverse effects., Conclusions: Pregabalin coadministered with dexamethasone demonstrated significant efficacy in controlling postoperative pain and anxiety, as well as a sedative effect., Clinical Relevance: The coadministration of pregabalin with dexamethasone may presents potential advantages in both pain modulation and psychological well-being of individuals undergoing third molar surgeries., Trial Registration: Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (REBEC), No. RBR-378h6t6., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To compare the use of PBMT in the soft tissue and bone healing after third molar extraction using the dual-wavelength laser directly into the post-extraction alveoli (PBMT-I), or PBMT with a red laser directly into the alveoli and with an infrared laser externally on the patient's face (PBMT-IE)., Methods: Twenty patients underwent extraction of four third molars were involved in this split-mouth double-blind randomized controlled trial. The Post-extraction alveoli were treated with the following protocols: PBMT-IE: Application of a red laser directly into the alveolus, and infrared laser irradiation transcutaneously and PBMT-I: Application of dual-wavelength laser intraorally. Patients were clinically evaluated 3, 7, 14, 30, and 90 days after the surgical procedure. The analyses in this study were divided into qualitative (centered on the patient's report and on the evaluators' analysis), and quantitative analyses (measurement of the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the face with the objective of measuring post-surgical edema and radiographic analyses for evaluation of the density and structure of the newly formed bone)., Results: A progressive improvement was observed in all parameters evaluated in this study, however, this improvement was time dependent, with no distinct effect observed between the PBMT treatments applied., Conclusion: The different dual-wavelength PBMT protocols induced a similar postoperative clinical course in third molar extraction surgeries, with a reduced occurrence of complications and a good healing pattern of hard and soft tissues., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objectives: Conducting a scoping review (SR) to assess scientific evidence for topical simvastatin's impact on alveolar bone regeneration and determine its level of support for clinical applications., Materials and Methods: This SR followed the PRISMA-ScR and OSF registries protocol; systematic searching was conducted on MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS, to identify relevant articles until June 2023. Inclusion criteria covered clinical trials, case series, prospective and retrospective studies, along with in vivo investigations, involving participants of any sex and age., Results: Out of 1312 identified studies, 20 (9 in vivo, 11 RCTs) met inclusion criteria. RCTs focused on third molar extraction, in vivo on mandibular incisor surgery. The majority of RCTs employed a collagen sponge and a simvastatin concentration of 10mg; conversely, most in vivo studies favored polylactide-co-glycolide and a 2 mg simvastatin concentration. RCTs had 3-month follow-ups; in vivo, studies extended to 8 weeks. Seven RCTs assessed pain outcomes, simvastatin did not significantly affect pain in six studies. Among four RCTs on postoperative swelling, only two observed a significant increase in the simvastatin group. In general, positive bone formation and the absence of adverse effects directly linked to topical simvastatin were observed across the study models., Conclusions: Intra-alveolar simvastatin post-tooth extraction has been to be shown to be effective and safe for preserving alveolar bone, with varied concentrations and carriers, with no significant adverse effects., Clinical Relevance: This review provides critical insights into the effects of simvastatin on alveolar bone regeneration, informing potential benefits and possible challenges associated with its post-extraction application. OSF REGISTRY PROTOCOL: osf.io/q3bnf., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The frequency of displacement of a third molar root is low and considered a rare incident. A computer-assisted navigation system is a surgical support system that allows the patient to confirm the surgical site in three dimensions during surgery has recently been introduced to oral and maxillofacial surgery. We used a computer-assisted navigation system to remove a displaced third molar root in the floor of the mouth without complications and report the outline of the procedure and the effectiveness of the computer-assisted navigation system safety. This was a 56-year-old male who underwent extraction of the mandibular right third molar at a referral clinic. At that time, the proximal root fracture remained in the extraction socket, and the distal root fracture displaced to floor of the mouth. The patient was referred to our hospital immediately after tooth extraction. We extracted the displaced third molar root fracture under general anesthesia using a computer-assisted navigation system to accurately locate the root fracture and performed minimally invasive extraction. The root extraction was performed 18 days after the initial tooth extraction. No lingual nerve exposure was observed during surgery. No sensory abnormalities in the lower lip or tongue were observed postoperatively. Computer-assisted navigation system is a useful surgical support system that enables oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures and prevents postoperative complications such as lingual nerve palsy safety., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors report no declarations of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This systematic review aims to examine whether cone-beam CT (CBCT) assessment influences the incidence of nerve injury following high-risk mandibular third molar (MTM) surgery., Study Design: Randomised controlled trials comparing two and three-dimensional imaging for assessing high-risk MTMs were included. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL and the Dentistry and Oral Science Source (DOSS) were systematically searched along with extensive grey literature searches, hand searching of web sites, and detailed citation searching up to 3 September 2022. Risk of bias was assessed against the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool (RoB 2.0). Certainty of the evidence was assessed using GRADE., Results: Two authors independently screened 402 abstracts prior to full text screening of 27 articles, which culminated in seven RCTs for inclusion. Two studies were assessed as high risk of bias overall. The other five raised some concerns largely due to unblinded patients and lack of prior trial registration. Just one study reported significantly less nerve injuries following CBCT. The remaining six articles found no significant difference., Conclusion: The seven RCTs included in this systematic review offered moderate quality evidence that CBCT does not routinely translate to reduced incidence of nerve injury in MTM removal. A single study provided low quality evidence for a consequent change in the surgical approach. Low quality evidence from 3 studies suggested CBCT does not influence the duration of third molar surgery., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: This study aimed to compare the analgesic effect of ibuprofen 400 mg given 30 min before or immediately after third molars surgery under local anaesthesia., Materials and Methods: The single-centre, randomized, split-mouth, triple-blind, clinical trial involved 38 outpatients, for a total of 76 bilateral symmetrical fully bone impacted mandibular third molars. Each patient was undergone to separate surgical sessions for the right and left side, and ibuprofen was randomly administered 30 min before or immediately after the intervention. Study participants recorded pain intensity using Numerical Rating Scale-11, the timing of rescue therapy intake and overall tablets consumption over 3 days., Results: The overall pain intensity score was lower in the group receiving ibuprofen immediately after (3.13 ± 2.46) than before (3.58 ± 2.40) surgery, with statistically significant differences only on the second and third days. The mean time to the first using rescue therapy was longer in the postoperative (598.33 ± 422.62 min) than in the preoperative (406.25 ± 149.79 min) analgesic treatment group (p = .123). The number of supplemented ibuprofen tablets did not differ (p = .530) between both groups., Conclusions: Within the limits of the present study, ibuprofen administration immediately after surgery seemed to be more effective than preoperative administration., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of Passiflora incarnata L for the control of anxiety during third mandibular molar extraction and compare it to midazolam, the most used benzodiazepine in dentistry., Method and Materials: The investigators implemented a prospective, randomized, double-blind, split-mouth study. The degree of anxiety of the patients was assessed before the surgical procedure. The surgeries took place in two sessions: one on each side of the hemi-mandible and, on each of them, the patient received one of the drugs, crosswise. Anxiety control was measured through physical parameters, at the following periods during the surgery: (1) immediately administration of anxiolytic medication, (2) 30 minutes after anxiolytic medication, (3) after extraoral antisepsis, (4) after local anesthesia, (5) during incision, (6) during osteotomy, (7) between osteotomy and odontosection, (8) during odontosection, (9) during surgical store curettage, (10) during suture, and (11) immediately after postoperative care guidelines. Lastly, the volunteers received a self-assessment form in order to report their experience. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon test., Results: The final sample was composed of 20 patients, with a mean age of 22.5 years. The results of the physical parameters showed statistically significant differences (P < .05) for certain times and physical parameters, especially heart rate (P = .036), which showed the highest control for Passiflora at time point (3). The undesirable effects reported by patients such as drowsiness, muscle relaxation, and dizziness were greater with benzodiazepine., Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that Passiflora may be considered as an alternative to midazolam in controlling anxiety in dentistry. Future studies will focus on other benzodiazepines and herbal medicines.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of absorbable collagen sponge insertion in tooth extraction sites for socket healing of the impacted mandibular third molar., Methods: Thirty-six patients with bilateral mandibular impacted third molars based on Pell-Gregory and Winter classification were included in this study. This study was a randomized clinical trial utilizing a split-mouth design with one side assigned as collagen sponge insertion and the other side assigned as the control. Post-operative clinical complications, periodontal integrities, and radiographic outcomes were assessed at 1, 2, and 14-weeks post operatively., Results: Five patients were excluded during the follow-up period due to loss of follow-up. The study was conducted on 31 patients in total. The mean VAS score of collagen sponge insertion side at 1 week post operation was 1.42 ± 1.26, which was significantly lower than the control side (P < 0.05). The mean probing depth of collagen sponge insertion side at 2-week post operation was 5.55 ± 2.28 mm, which was significantly lower than the control side (7.13 ± 1.86; P < 0.05). Other various measurements including radiographic outcomes showed no significant group differences., Conclusions: Placement of collagen sponge after extraction of mandibular impacted third molar reduced early stage post-operative complications and enhanced initial healing of soft tissues and periodontal defects., Trial Registration: This study was retrospectively registered at the WHO ICTRP platform and Clinical Research Information Service, KCT0003363. Registered 21 Sep 2018.

Objectives: The current dentistry scenario is showing an increase in the availability of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in dental offices. Oral surgeons are using three-dimensional information as an additional tool to assess preoperative data for lower third molar (LTM) removal in moderate and high-risk cases of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury diagnosed through the panoramic radiography (PR). The aim of this study is to identify whether CBCT examination reduces neurosensoric disturbances (ND) following the removal of the LTM when compared to PR., Materials and Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Scopus electronic databases were searched for studies published up to February 2019. The gray literature was also searched including papers that eventually met the eligibility criteria. Meta-analysis was performed using the comprehensive meta-analysis software, p < 0.05 considered significant., Results: Among the search, 6 studies met all eligibility criteria. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (PR and CBCT) in all six studies regarding reducing ND (95%. Confidence interval, 0,788-1734; heterogeneity: Q = 10,361; I 2  = 22.788%)., Conclusions: CBCT was not superior to PR in avoiding ND. However, further studies are necessary with standardized parameters for a better comparability between variables in the studies., Clinical Relevance: To better understand the CBCT clinical applicability in LTM removal to avoid unnecessary extra radiation when compared to PR to the patient and to improve patient's prognosis.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ozonized water on pain, oedema and trismus after impacted third molar mandibular surgeries when compared to double distilled water. A randomized triple blind trial was conducted., Methods: Patients with third molars class II-B of Pell-Gregory were included, and surgical extraction was performed. Irrigation was done with ozonized (group 1) or double distilled water (group 2). The type of irrigation and the side to be operated were randomized. Neither the patients nor the operator or evaluator were aware of the irrigation solution. Pain, oedema and trismus were evaluated at baseline, 24-h, 48-h, 72-h and 7-days after treatment. The data were evaluated by Friedman, Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney tests, and size effect., Results: It was included 8 men and 12 women, with a mean age of 20.9y.o. The initial pain mean was 7.94 (±12.81) (group 1) and 5.50 (±9.12) (group 2) (p > 0,05). There was a statistically significant reduction of pain, oedema and trismus in intragroup analysis (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) when comparing the oedema and trismus between groups. The size effect ranged from small (0.23) to large (1.29)., Conclusions: It was concluded that ozonized water was compatible as irrigation method, not inferior to double distilled water, and had satisfactory effects on management of pain, oedema and trismus after surgical removal of the third molar., Trial Registration: This clinical trial was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03501225 on April 18, 2018.

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of two suture methods on the postoperative complications of extraction of mandibular third molars (M3M). We searched the MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases until 18 May 2018 for randomised controlled trials (RCT) that evaluated the influence of any suture techniques on postoperative complications after the removal of impacted M3M. Pain, facial swelling, and trismus were measured for both the early stage (2-3 days) and late stage (5-7 days) after extraction. We identified 655 records, of which five were assessed for eligibility. All trials included had a moderate risk of bias. The analysis showed that the patients whose wounds had been closed primarily had significantly more pain than those whose wounds were closed secondarily (a wedge of mucosa) during the early stage (standardised mean difference (SMD), -0.49; 95% CI -0.71 to -0.27; P<0.0001) and the late stage (SMD -0.36; 95% CI -0.54 to -0.19; P<0.0001) after the removal of impacted M3M. Patients whose wounds were closed secondarily had less swelling (mm) at the postoperative early stage (SMD -1.12; 95% CI -1.57 to -0.66; P<0.00001) and late stage (SMD -0.51; 95% CI -0.68 to -0.33; P<0.00001). There was more trismus in the primary closure group than in the secondary group during both stages. Our findings suggest that secondary closure causes less pain, facial swelling, and trismus in both early and late stages of surgical removal of impacted M3M, and therefore it improves the quality of life by reducing postoperative discomfort., (Copyright © 2019 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This retrospective study aimed to investigate complications associated with the extraction of third molars at a tertiary healthcare centre in Oman., Methods: All consecutive patients who underwent extraction of one or more impacted third molars under general anaesthesia at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between January 2007 and December 2017 were included. Age, gender, indication for extraction, teeth removed, procedure and complications were recorded., Results: A total of 1,116 third molars (56% mandibular and 44% maxillary) were extracted and the majority (67.7%) were from female patients. The mean age at extraction was 24 ± 5 years and most patients (77.7%) were 20-29 years old. The intraoperative and postoperative complication rates were 3.7% and 8.3%, respectively. The intraoperative complications included tuberosity fracture (1.2%), root fracture (1.1%), bleeding (0.7%), soft tissue injury (0.5%) and adjacent tooth damage (0.2%). Postoperative complications were sensory nerve injuries (7.2%), swelling/pain/ trismus (0.6%) and dry socket (0.5%). Nerve injury was temporary in 41 patients and permanent in four cases. A statistically significant relationship was observed between those aged 30-39 years and dry socket ( P = 0.010) as well as bone removal and all postoperative complications ( P = 0.001)., Conclusion: Most complications resulting from third molar extractions were minor and within the reported ranges in the scientific literature. However, increased age and bone removal were associated with a higher risk of complications. These findings may help to guide treatment planning, informed consent and patient education., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© Copyright 2019, Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, All Rights Reserved.)

Surgical removal of third molars is associated with complications that can be as common as pain and trismus and as rare as mandibular fracture. A fracture can occur when the resistance of the bone tissue is lower than the forces applied by the surgeon during the procedure. The aim of this article is to report a case of jaw fracture after tooth extraction and subsequent surgical treatment of the fracture under general anesthesia with an option for a submandibular approach. A plate and screw system with a 2.4-mm profile was used for osteosynthesis after reduction of the fracture. The patient was followed up for 6 months after surgery and reported no functional or esthetic complaints. Treatment of mandibular fractures should aim to reestablish functional occlusion and mandibular continuity with the least possible risk of adverse sequelae. Planning for each individual case of third molar extraction requires accurate clinical examination and image evaluation to lessen the risk of fracture., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest pertaining to any of the products or companies discussed in this article.

Although the surgical extraction of the mandibular third molar is routinely performed in dental clinics, the precise management of complications associated with it requires thorough knowledge and experience in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Iatrogenic dislodgment of a tooth or its fragment is a rare complication and usually occurs when excessive, uncontrolled forces are applied via elevators. It also is possible that this rare complication may be underreported. This case report describes the retrieval, under local anesthesia, of a mandibular left third molar crown from the posterosuperior region of the pterygomandibular space after iatrogenic dislodgment.

Mandibular third molars (MM3s) are responsible for pericoronitis, primary and/or secondary crowding of the dentition, odontogenic tumors and cysts, periodontal defects associated with the posterior part of mandibular second molars. Tooth extraction is indicated for prophylactic and therapeutic purpose in patients with problems caused by impacted teeth. Common postoperative complications associated with third molar extraction are alveolitis (0.5e32.5%), infection (0.9e4.2%), postoperative bleeding (0.2e1.5%), transient dysfunction of the inferior alveolar nerve (0.6e5.5%), and permanent dysfunction of the inferior alveolar nerve (0.1e0.9%). A literature review reveals number of individual case reports of accidental displacement to various anatomical locations, namely, the infratemporal fossa, pterygomandibular space, lateral pharyngeal space, submandibular space, and sublingual space., (Copyright 2019 Biolife Sas. www.biolifesas.org.)

Background: The prophylactic extraction of asymptomatic impacted mandibular third molar is a contentious issue in dental practice., Objective: To evaluate symptomatic impacted mandibular third molars in patients 50 years and above, and determine the burden of the impaction on the adjacent second molar., Methods: This was a prospective clinical study over a three-year period. The diagnosis of impacted mandibular third molar and their associated pathology was made by clinical and radiological examination. The data obtained were age, sex, type of impaction, reason for surgical extraction, and the clinical condition of the adjacent second molar., Results: Patients 50 years and above were 33.4%, and those with impaction 22.8%, while the symptomatic cases were in 18.4% patients. The age of the patients ranged from 52 to 84 years with male: female ratio, 2.3:1. In all the asymptomatic impactions, the adjacent second molars were disease-free, whereas 73.6% of the adjacent second molar related to symptomatic cases were asymptomatic (P=0.001)., Conclusion: This study showed that 15.9% of impactions in 18.4% of patients were symptomatic and required surgical extraction, whereas the burden of impaction on the adjacent second molar was 26.4%, and these required only preventive and restorative treatments.

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the clinical evidences of the bromelain in minimizing inflammatory parameters such as pain, edema, and trismus after lower third molar surgeries. An electronic search was conducted in six databases through November 2017. The eligibility criteria included randomized and non-randomized clinical trials and/or comparative studies that used bromelain after lower third molar surgeries. The search strategy resulted in 117 articles. Following the selection process, seven studies were included in the systematic review and four in the meta-analysis. In terms of the risk of bias analysis, all the evaluated studies were classified as low or unclear risk of bias in the following criteria: selection bias, detection bias, and reporting bias. The final quantitative analysis of the variables showed that the use of bromelain resulted in greater reduction of pain levels (mean difference [MD]: -0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI; -0.66 to -0.09]), edema (MD: -0.34; 95% CI [ -0.68 to -0.01]), and trismus (MD: -2.01; 95% CI [ -3.99 to -0.02]) among the analyzed groups. The results suggest that the bromelain appears to be effective in the control of pain, edema, and trismus after lower third molar surgeries; however, further high-quality studies are needed to confirm this finding., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Aim: The aim of the present bibliometric study was to analyze the citations received by coronectomy papers and their references., Methods: Data were extracted from the Web of Science online database. After excluding irrelevant papers, full record and cited references from 79 papers were downloaded and imported into VOSviewer and CRExplorer for bibliometric analyses., Results: The 79 papers on coronectomy collectively had 9.7 citations per paper. The h-index of this collection of papers was 17. The top five major contributing countries were the UK (N = 20, 25.3%), the USA (N = 10, 12.7%), Italy (N = 9, 11.4%), China (N = 5, 6.3%), and Turkey (N = 5, 6.3%). The top two major contributing journals, Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, together accounted for more than half of the 79 papers (N = 43, 54.4%)., Conclusions: Papers dealing with postoperative morbidity topics had high citation counts in general, such as dry socket (27.4 citations per paper), infection (24.6 citations per paper), and safety (35.5 citations per paper). Citation per paper correlated with publication count at the affiliation level, but not at the author, country, and journal levels., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of acupuncture and placebo acupuncture on the control of pain, oedema, and trismus following the extraction of third molars and on the control of preoperative anxiety. Sixteen patients (mean age 22.5±3.45years) each underwent four acupuncture sessions, one prior to each surgery and the others at 24, 48, and 72hours after each surgery (left and right tooth). Oedema was determined using measurements of the face and trismus was determined by maximum mouth opening at baseline and at 24, 48, 72hours and 7days following surgery. Postoperative pain was evaluated by the patients using a visual analogue scale (VAS) at 24, 48, and 72hours following surgery. Anxiety was evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and a VAS at baseline and before and after acupuncture prior to surgery. The statistical analysis was performed using the paired t-test and Wilcoxon test. Acupuncture showed a better performance in the control of oedema at 48hours (P=0.026), 72hours (P=0.046), and 7days (P=0.040) when compared to placebo. There was no statistically significant difference between the acupuncture and placebo groups in the control of pain, trismus, or anxiety., (Copyright © 2018 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the present study was to use the scientific evidence found in a critical literature review as a basis to discuss the displacement of maxillary third molars to the infratemporal fossa in terms of anatomical and demographic characteristics and the treatment protocols used. In addition, this article reports a new clinical case of third molar displacement in a 19-year-old man. For the literature review, the Cochrane, Medline, Lilacs, and BBO databases were searched for relevant key words, and the selected articles were classified in accordance with their level of evidence according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine criteria. Twenty-two articles were found, but only 13 were considered relevant and met the criteria for inclusion in this review. All of the articles were classified as Level 6b for scientific evidence (case reports). The maxillary left third molar was more commonly displaced to the infratemporal fossa (69.23%) than was the right third molar. Most of the molars exhibited complete root formation (53.84%), were multirooted (69.23%), and had fused roots (53.84%). During the procedures for removal of the displaced molars, either general or local anesthetic agents were used. Surgical access for molar removal was almost always intraoral, and no permanent postoperative complications were recorded. The time from tooth displacement until attempted surgical removal ranged from immediately to 24 years after the displacement. Both general dentists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons were responsible for the displacements.

The purpose of this study was to assess the age of patients at the time of extraction of third molars. Our data included all routine and surgical extractions of third molars (n=8199 teeth) performed by general and specialist dentists of the public oral health services of the city of Helsinki over the period 2013-2014. Measurements included patient's age, gender, the identified third molar, the type of anaesthesia, the method of extraction, and the diagnosis at extraction. Patients' ages ranged from 10 to 99years. We found significant differences between younger and older age groups: third molar extractions occurred more often for women than for men below the age of 30years (P<0.001) and vice versa for patients older than 30. Extractions were more prevalent for the upper jaw (P<0.001), and surgical extractions were more common than routine extractions (P<0.001) below the age of 40years, but the corresponding prevalences reversed after the age of 40years. Diagnoses at extraction differed between younger and older patients. We conclude that the treatment pattern of third molars at public health services varies greatly over a lifetime, and that a greater variety exists than had been reported previously from oral and maxillofacial units., (Copyright © 2018 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To identify, over the previous 12 months, whether: (i) dental insurance is associated with a higher number of third molar extractions (TME); (ii) single versus multiple TME is associated with self-rated oral health; and (iii) TME when 18-25 years of age is associated with fewer days absent from work because of dental problems., Methodology: Australia's 2013 National Dental Telephone Interview Survey, which included: socio-demographics; and number of extractions, reasons for extractions, self-rated oral health and days absent from work because of dental problems, all in the past 12 months., Results: The majority of TME recipients were female [56.6%, standard error (SE) = 6.0%], 18-25 years of age (63.0%, SE = 5.4%), held a tertiary qualification (73.9%, SE = 5.4%), had a total annual household income of ≥$60,000 (58.3%, SE = 6.4%), were dentally insured (52.6%, SE = 6.2%) and received multiple TME (60.9%, SE = 8.5%). Number of TME was associated with having dental insurance [B = 0.97: 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.5-1.5] and days of work absence because of dental problems (B = 1.10; 95% CI: 0.26-1.94). Receiving single TME versus multiple TME was not associated with self-rated oral health (B = -0.25; 95% CI: -0.76 to 0.25). Receiving TME when 18-25 years of age versus when older than 25 years of age was not associated with days absent from work because of dental problems (B = 0.48; 95% CI: -0.37 to 2.33)., Conclusion: Dental insurance was associated with a higher TME count without improving self-reported oral health in the short-term. Using age as a justification for prophylactic TME might be questionable because, receiving TME when 18-25 years of age versus when older than 25 years of age did not reduce days absent from work because of dental problems., (© 2017 FDI World Dental Federation.)

Background: Third molar removal surgery is the most frequently performed surgery in the oral and maxillofacial field with a wide range of items in the quantification of postoperative complications. For their measure, in 2014 a previous scale design was presented. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of a scale designed to measure and quantify postoperative complications in third molar surgery (TMS)., Methods: A cross-sectional study of a measurement model was designed. Sixty-two patients (mean age 20.5 ± 6.6 years; 36 women) underwent TMS in three Chilean hospitals. In the postoperative check-up on the 7th day, a maxillofacial surgeon and a surgical resident performed independent postoperative assessments, applying the scale. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to obtain validity, internal consistency, interobserver reliability and a score to categorize the severity of complications using structural equation model analysis., Results: Nine patients (14.5%) had complications. The scale was defined by two components: "Secondary complication" and "Infection" (Cronbach's alpha 0.71; Interobserver reliability 87.7%) and three categories of postoperative complication: "without or mild", "moderate" and "severe"., Conclusion: This study presents a reliability and validity scale called "Surgical complication assessment scale in TMS".

The removal of the upper third molar is a procedure commonly performed in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Maxillary third molars are generally less difficult to extract than mandibular third molars. The surgical removal of maxillary third molars is usually associated with low complication rates and low morbidity. This procedure involves the risk of developing complications such as oroantral communication, displacement into adjacent anatomic spaces, fracture of the maxillary tuberosity, and root fracture. Orthopantomograms are the standard preoperative imaging modality, but there is no proven tool for predicting oroantral communication. New possibilities have been offered by cone-beam computed tomography, which is increasingly used in dentistry and is an innovative technique that provides more information as it eliminates the superimposition of surrounding structures and allows the acquisition of 3-dimensional images and their qualitative assessment. The aim of this systematic review was to assess risk factors during the extraction of the upper third molar using orthopantomograms and cone-beam computed tomography.

This study aimed to evaluate whether pre-emptive analgesia modifies the tissue expression of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and whether there is an association with postoperative surgical outcomes. A triple-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of patients undergoing mandibular third molar removal was performed. Volunteers were allocated randomly to receive etoricoxib 120 mg, ibuprofen 400 mg, or placebo 1h before surgery. Twenty-four surgical sites per group were required (95% confidence level and 80% statistical power). Pain scores differed significantly between groups (P<0.001). Etoricoxib and ibuprofen reduced pain scores compared to placebo (P<0.05). Pain scores peaked at 4h postoperative in the experimental groups, but at 2h postoperative in the placebo group (P<0.05). A significant reduction in TNF-α concentration from time 0' to time 30' was seen for ibuprofen (P=0.001) and etoricoxib (P=0.016). The ibuprofen group showed a significant reduction in IL-1β levels from time 0' to time 30' (P=0.038). In conclusion, TNF-α and IL-1β levels and the inflammatory events in third molar surgery were inversely associated with the degree of cyclooxygenase 2 selectivity of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used pre-emptively. Patients given pre-emptive analgesia showed significant reductions in the clinical parameters pain, trismus, and oedema when compared to the placebo group., (Copyright © 2017 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The analgesic efficacy and safety of liposomal bupivacaine (LB) in third molar extraction was evaluated in this phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of subjects undergoing bilateral third molar extraction. Subjects were randomized 2 : 1 to infiltration with LB (133 mg/10 mL) or placebo, and received opioid rescue medication as needed. Primary efficacy measure was cumulative area under the curve (AUC) of numeric rating scale (NRS) pain severity scores through 48 hours (AUC of NRS 0-48 ) postsurgery. Other measures included AUC of NRS 0-24 , AUC of NRS 0-72 , and AUC of NRS 0-96 , and incidence of adverse events. There were 150 subjects in the primary efficacy population (n = 99 LB, n = 51 placebo) and 89 in the per-protocol population (n = 59 LB, n = 30 placebo). Least-squares mean for AUC of NRS 0-48 was 172.3 LB versus 194.7 placebo (P = .227) in the primary efficacy population and 120.8 LB versus 183.3 placebo (P = .023) in the per-protocol population. At all time points, between-group differences in AUC of NRS scores were significant in the per-protocol population (LB lower than placebo, P < .05) but not in the primary efficacy population. The adverse event profile was similar between groups. LB produced significantly lower cumulative pain scores versus placebo at all time points in the per-protocol analysis but not in the primary efficacy analysis because of protocol violations. This study indicates significant improvement in pain scores in the third molar model, but because of extensive protocol violations additional studies are warranted to demonstrate effectiveness.

Background: Clinicians generally use panoramic radiographic (PR) images to assess the proximity of the mandibular third molar to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN). However, in cases in which a patient needs to undergo a third-molar extraction, many clinicians also assess computed tomographic (CT) images to prevent nerve damage., Types of Studies Reviewed: Two of the authors independently searched MEDLINE (through PubMed), Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Ovid. The authors included randomized or nonrandomized longitudinal studies whose investigators had compared the number of IAN injuries after third-molar extraction in patients who had undergone preoperative CT with patients who had undergone only PR., Results: The authors analyzed the full text of 26 of the 745 articles they initially selected. They included 6 studies in the meta-analysis. Four of the studies had a high risk of bias, and the investigators of only 1 study had used blinding with the patients. The authors observed no statistically significant differences between groups related to the total number of nerve injuries (risk ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.50 to 1.85; P = .91). The prognosis of the injuries was similar for both groups., Conclusions and Practical Implications: Although having preoperative CT images might be useful for clinicians in terms of diagnosing and extracting mandibular third molars, having these CT images does not reduce patients' risk of experiencing IAN injuries nor does it affect their prognosis., (Copyright © 2017 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Extraction of impacted mandibular third molar (M3) has been cited as causing osseous defect at the distal aspect of the adjacent second molar (M2)., Purpose: This randomized controlled trial was aimed to evaluate the effect of autogenous bone grafting in situ for regeneration of periodontal osseous defect distal to the M2 compared with non-grafting after impacted M3 removal., Materials and Methods: A total of 60 sites in 51 adult patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the control group or the test group. In both groups, the M3 was extracted using a piezosurgical device, and the distal root surface of M2 was scaled and root planned. In addition, the removed alveolar bone was grinded to particles and grafted to the distal osseous defect of M2 in the test group. The primary outcome variable was the osseous defect depth (ODD), the secondary outcome variables were probing pocket depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) on the disto-buccal aspect of the M2 during a 12-month follow-up period. Postoperative symptom at 7-day postoperatively and adverse events were also recorded and analyzed., Results: The patient characteristics were homogeneous between the 2 groups. Six and 12 months after surgery, there were statistically significant bone fill in both groups (P ＜ .01). Moreover, the ODD and CAL in the test group were significantly lower than the control group at every postoperative re-entry (P ＜ .01). The postoperative symptom was more severe in the test group than the control group, but the difference was not significant (P > .05)., Conclusions: The result of this study demonstrated that scaling and root planning was beneficial to periodontal healing of M2 after impacted M3 extraction. Addition of autogenous bone grafting for the treatment of osseous defects distal to M2 was safe and more effective than periodontal treatment alone. (Registry Number: ChiCTR-IOC-15006561)., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of additional cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging on decreasing the risk of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury during third molar removal in patients at high risk and to assess the surgical outcomes. The study sample included patients considered at high risk for IAN injury based on panoramic radiography (PAN) evaluation. The primary predictor was the type of imaging method (PAN only or with additional CBCT). The other variables were demographic and anatomical/radiographic factors. The primary outcome variable was IAN injury. The secondary outcome variables were the preoperative surgical plan and surgical results including IAN exposure and duration of surgery. The sample comprised 122 patients (139 teeth) aged 18-48 years. Postoperative temporary IAN injury was present in three (4.2%) cases in the CBCT group and 11 (16.4%) in the PAN group at 7 days after surgery. However, none of the patients had a permanent IAN injury at the 6-month follow-up. Additional CBCT imaging was not superior to PAN in reducing IAN injury after third molar surgery during long-term follow-up. Nonetheless, CBCT may decrease the prevalence of temporary IAN injury and improve the surgical outcomes in high-risk patients., (Copyright © 2017 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to determine the effect of the co-administration of dexamethasone 8mg and nimesulide 100mg given 1h before mandibular third molar surgery. A prospective, randomized, triple-blind, split-mouth clinical trial was developed at the study institution in Pernambuco, Brazil. A pilot study was first performed (95% confidence interval, 80% test power, and 5% error), and a sample of 40 patients aged between 18 and 40 years was selected. The patients were randomized and divided into two groups: dexamethasone+placebo and dexamethasone+nimesulide. The following parameters were evaluated: pain (visual analogue scale), total number of rescue analgesics taken, time taken to first rescue analgesic consumption, oedema, trismus, and patient satisfaction. The paired t-test and the Wilcoxon test were used to compare means. Statistically significant differences were found between the groups in pain values at 2, 4, and 12h postoperative, and in the total number of rescue analgesics and time taken to first rescue analgesic ingestion (P<0.05), with results in favour of dexamethasone+nimesulide administration. Oedema and trismus were similar in the two treatment groups and decreased over time postoperatively. The co-administration of dexamethasone and nimesulide reduces pain intensity and the need for rescue medication after third molar surgery., (Copyright © 2016 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Factors associated with the diagnosis, aetiology, and treatment of mandibular fractures occurring during the postoperative period following the removal of a lower third molar are discussed. The following databases were searched using specific key words: PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, Embase, and Scopus. The search yielded 124 cases. Sex, age, side, tooth position and angulation, bone impaction, relationship between the tooth and the inferior alveolar nerve, local pathological conditions, aetiology of the fracture, symptomatology, and time between surgery and fracture, as well as any displacement of the fracture and the treatment of the fracture, were evaluated. Data were tabulated and the χ 2 statistical test was applied (P<0.05). Male patients aged >35 years, with teeth in positions II/III and B/C, complete bony impaction, and local bone-like alterations, were found to have a higher frequency of fracture and pericoronitis (P<0.05). Late fractures generally occurred between the second and fourth postoperative weeks (P<0.05). They were generally not displaced and the typical treatment was the non-surgical approach (P<0.05). It is concluded that the risk of mandibular fracture after extraction is associated with excessive ostectomy and/or local alterations. At-risk patients should be thoroughly briefed on the importance of a proper postoperative diet., (Copyright © 2016 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Anxiety is an undesirable psychological phenomenon. Patients are usually anxious when subjected to third molar surgery, but the pattern of anxiety is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the intensity and course of anxiety during third molar surgery. This study included 48 consecutive patients (mean age 25±6 years) who had a third molar removed surgically under local anaesthesia. The heart rate was monitored continuously during treatment as a measure of anxiety. Preoperative anxiety was scored with the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale. Each patient's anxiety level was assessed when in the waiting room, sitting down in the dental chair, during the application of local anaesthesia, application of surgical drapes, time-out procedure, incision, alveolotomy, removal of the third molar, and suturing, and at the end of the procedure. The lowest heart rates were recorded in the waiting room, in the dental chair, during anaesthesia, when applying surgical drapes, during suturing, and at the end of the procedure. The highest values were obtained during the time-out procedure, incision, and alveolotomy (P<0.005). In conclusion, the intensity and course of anxiety has a specific pattern during third molar surgery, with the lowest levels of anxiety prior to surgery and directly postoperative and the highest during the time-out procedure and the actual surgery., (Copyright © 2016 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To determine systemic absorption of dexamethasone by detection of plasma concentration using high performance liquid chromatography following its administration along with local anesthetic agent as a mixture via pterygomandibular space., Methods: A prospective randomized double-blind clinical study was undertaken to analyze the plasma concentration of dexamethasone after intra-space pterygomandibular injection along with local anesthesia. The study was performed as per split mouth model where the mandibular quadrant allocation was done on a random basis considering each of the 30 patients is included in the two study interventions (SS and CS). For the study site (SS) procedures, dexamethasone was administered as a mixture (2 % lignocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine and 4 mg dexamethasone) intra-space. In the control site (CS) procedures, a regular standard inferior alveolar nerve block was administered, and dexamethasone was given as intramuscular injection. The plasma dexamethasone determination was done in venous blood 30- and 60-min post injection using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The clinical parameters like pain; swelling; and mouth opening on the first, third, and seventh post-operative day were analyzed and compared., Results: No significant difference was found in the clinical parameters assessed; comparative evaluation showed less swelling in the SS interventions. The plasma concentration of dexamethasone for the CS interventions was 226 ± 47 ng/ml at 30-min and 316 ± 81.6 ng/ml at 60-min post injection, and for SS, it was 221 ± 81.6 ng/ml at 30-min and 340 ± 105 ng/ml at 60-min post injection. On inter-site (CS and SS) comparison, no statistically significant difference was ascertained in dexamethasone plasma concentration at 30-min post injection (P = 0.77) and at 60-min post injection. (P = 0.32)., Conclusion: Intra-space (pterygomandibular space) administration of dexamethasone can achieve statistically similar plasma concentration of the drug as when the same dose is administered intramuscularly with demonstration of similar clinical effects.

Background: Informed consent is the legal requirement to educate a patient about a proposed medical treatment or procedure so that he or she can make informed decisions. The purpose of the study was to examine the current practice for obtaining informed consent for third molar tooth extractions (wisdom teeth) by oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Australia and New Zealand., Methods: An online survey was sent to 180 consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. Surgeons were asked to answer (yes/no) whether they routinely warned of a specific risk of third molar tooth extraction in their written consent., Results: Seventy-one replies were received (39%). The only risks that surgeons agreed should be routinely included in written consent were a general warning of infection (not alveolar osteitis), inferior alveolar nerve damage (temporary and permanent) and lingual nerve damage (temporary and permanent)., Conclusions: There is significant variability among Australian and New Zealand oral and maxillofacial surgeons regarding risk disclosure for third molar tooth extractions. We aim to improve consistency in consent for third molar extractions by developing an evidence-based consent form., (© 2016 Australian Dental Association.)