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. 2014 Jul;20(2):59-63.
doi: 10.4103/1117-6806.137288.

A Prospective Randomized Clinical Study of the Influence of Primary Closure or Dressing on Post-operative Morbidity after Mandibular Third Molar Surgery

Peter E Egbor  1 , Birch D Saheeb  1
Affiliations

A Prospective Randomized Clinical Study of the Influence of Primary Closure or Dressing on Post-operative Morbidity after Mandibular Third Molar Surgery

Peter E Egbor et al. Niger J Surg. 2014 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the following study is to determine the effect of primary closure or dressing on post-operative morbidity after impacted lower third molar surgery.

Materials and methods: This was a randomized clinical study of 72 patients who had surgical extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. The subjects were divided into two groups of A and B. Group A had total closure (primary closure) and Group B had whitehead varnish dressing of the socket. Pain, swelling and trismus were evaluated pre-operatively using visual analogue scale, flexible tape measuring method and inter-incisal distance measurement with Vernier Callipers respectively as well as post-operatively on 1(st), 2(nd), 3(rd), 5(th) and 7(th) day.

Results: The study participants consisted of 27 males and 45 females in a ratio 1:1.7. With a mean age of 24.7 ± 4.9 years (range 19-33 years) for Group A and 25.5 ± 4.3 years (range 20-39 years) for Group B. Post-operative pain was not significantly affected by the closure techniques (P > 0.05). Dressing was found to significantly reduce the degree of swelling and trismus peaking on the 2(nd) day (P = 0.0207 and P = 0.010 respectively).

Conclusion: The use of dressing was more effective than primary closure to reduce the degree of swelling and trismus though its effect on post-operative pain reduction was not significant.

Keywords: Dressing; primary closure; randomized; surgery; third molars.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Measurement of facial width. T - tragus, C - commisure, P - pogonium
Figure 2
Figure 2
Post-operative pain according to time-point and technique employed
Figure 3
Figure 3
Post-operative swelling according to time-point and technique used
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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