wisdom tooth

Using Rifamycin for Reducing Complications After Wisdom Teeth Surgery

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An interesting article titled “Evaluation of the efficacy of topical rifamycin application on postoperative complications after lower impacted wisdom teeth surgery” appears in the Journal of Stomatology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery written by Levent Cigerim and et. al. (online 11 May 2023, 101501). The article explores the efficacy of a single-dose of topical rifamycin application to reduce complications after wisdom teeth surgery. Rifamycin has been shown to be effective in the inflammatory phase of wound healing by inhibiting prostaglandins, TNF-α and IL-8. In the study the authors included 35 patients with bilaterally impacted lower wisdom teeth that were removed for orthodontic reasons. The patients were split into two groups where the extraction sockets were irrigated with 3 ml/250 mg of rifamycin or with saline. The patients had their pain intensity measured daily for 7 days using a visual analog scale. Mouth … Read more

Exploration of Postoperative Abscess Formation after Wisdom Tooth Removal

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An interesting article titled “A Retrospective Analysis of Postoperative Abscess Formation Following Wisdom Tooth Removal and Their Clinical Condition and Localization,” written by Jakob Fehlhofer and et. al. appears in the Journal of Contemporay Dental Practice (vol. 23, n. 11, pp. 1079-1084, 2022). The article conducts a study on deep tissue abscesses after wisdom teeth removal to determine potential associated factors. Specifically the authors conduct a study with 88 patients who had wisdom teeth removed that resulted in a postoperative abscess formation who were treated at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the FAU in Germany from October 2012 to February 2017. There were 44 male and 38 female patients, who were split into two groups Group A (removal of asymptomatic wisdom teeth) that had 14 male and 19 female patients and Group B (removal of symptomatic wisdom … Read more

Invasive dental procedures linked to heart inflammation

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An interesting study titled “Endocarditis, invasive dental procedures, and antibiotic prophylaxis efficacy in US Medicaid patients” appears in Oral Diseases on April 27, 2023, written by Martin Thornhill and et. al. The study investigates the association between invasive dental procedures and endocarditis, which is inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart valves. In the study the authors used the MarketScan multi-state Medicaid database to examine 1.68 million Medicaid patients with linked medical, dental, and prescription data and compared it to 7.95 million individuals with employer-provided Commercial/Medicare-Supplemental health coverage with linked dental and prescription benefits. The authors found that the cohort study showed increased endocarditis incidence within 30 days of invasive dental procedures in those at high risk, particularly after extractions or oral surgery. It was also determined that antibiotic prophylaxis significantly reduced endocarditis incidence following invasive … Read more

Bilateral Inverted and Impacted Wisdom Teeth

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An interesting article titled “Bilateral Inverted and Impacted Mandibular Third Molars: A Rare Case Report” written by Yara Mohamed Talib and et. al appears in Cureus on March 23, 2023 (vol. 15, no. 3, e36573. ). The article discussed two cases of inverted and impacted lower wisdom teeth that is very rare and very few cases have been reported in literature. In the article discussion is made of an impacted wisdom tooth that occurs when the tooth is unable to erupt normally because of a lack of room or a blockage from eruption. When a tooth is in a buccolingual position it is also noted as an inverted impaction. In the article two cases of bilateral impacted lower wisdom tooth were reported along with the radiographs. In the first case a 50 year old woman from Jordan presentned with persistent bleeding … Read more

Is it Safe to Not use Suture or Stitches When Removing Wisdom Teeth?

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An interesting article titled “Sutureless socket technique after removalof third molars: a multicentric, open, randomized controlled trial” appears in BMC Oral Health written by Sarah Takadoum and et. al. (vol. 22, Article number: 256, 2022). The article conducted a clinical trial to compare pain following removal of impacted wisdom teeth with and without sutures also known as stiches. In the article the authors mentioned how questions remain regarding the best operative techniques during wisdom teeth surgery particularly the mucosal closure stage on impacted mandibular (lower) wisdom teeth. There are some who recommend suturing sockets after extraction, justfying this by saying that it limits bleeding and contamination of the postoperative site to thus improve the quality and speed of healing. There are others who prefer natural healing while the site is closed via cheek pressure. The authors set out to compare postoperative pain … Read more