Mandibular third molar surgery in 396 patients at a Norwegian university clinic: Morbidity recorded after 1 week utilizing an e-infrastructure for clinical research

Abstract

Objective To evaluate morbidity 1 week after mandibular third molar (3M) surgery in the authors’ department. Materials and methods A prospective 1-year clinical study of patients followed up for 1 week after 3M surgery was performed. Consecutive patients of 18 years or older having 3M surgery under local anaesthesia were included. Patients not able to attend a follow-up appointment after 1 week were excluded. Demographic data, indication for surgery and clinical findings were recorded. Outcome variables were days requiring analgesic, days absent from work/school and complications. All data recording was performed utilizing an e-infrastructure for clinical research (InReach, University Health Network, www.uhnsl.com). Results Three hundred and ninety-six patients were examined 1 week after surgery. Mean number of days requiring analgesics was 3.8 and mean number of days absent from work/school after surgery was 0.6. Minor complications were reported by 7% of patients. Female patients reported more days requiring analgesics compared to male patients. Smokers had a higher odds ratio for being absent ≥3 days. Prophylactic removal of 3Ms was associated with fewer days requiring analgesics and days absent from work/school as compared to teeth with local disease. Conclusion Overall morbidity after 3M surgery was low. Compared to patients subjected to therapeutic removal of 3Ms, patients undergoing prophylactic removal seem to have less pain and a faster return to normal activities.

Keywords:

• Alveolar osteitis
• complication
• oral surgery
• wisdom teeth

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Professor Leif Sandvik, PhD, and Dr Petter Wilberg, DDS, for statistical guidance and advice. The present study was supported by the Institute of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. Pål Barkvoll and Janicke Liaaen Jensen have been involved in the development of University Health Network, but they have no financial interests. None of the authors have received any grants related to this project or to its publication. The present paper has not been published. Parts of the results have been presented at the 40th ADEE Annual Meeting 2014, Riga, Latvia, at the IADR General Session 2015, Boston, MA, and the SFOMK Congress 2015, Copenhagen, Denmark.