Effects of different local haemostatic agents on facial swelling after the third molar surgery

Abstract

It was aimed to investigate the effects of three different local haemostatic agents (oxidized regenerated cellulose, gelatin sponge and collagen sponge) on the facial swelling after surgical removal of impacted the third mandibular molar teeth, in this study. Sixty-six healthy patients (mean age, 21.21±3.14 years) requiring bilateral impacted third molar extractions were included in this double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical study. All teeth were removed bilaterally in the same operation by one surgeon. The left side of the mandible served as the test side for local haemostasis and the right side as the control side in all patients. After removal, the primary closure of surgical wound was provided with silk sutures, in the control side. One of the absorbable haemostatic agents, oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC), gelatin sponge (GS) and collagen sponge (CS) was placed in the extraction cavities following gauze packing for 5 minutes to prevent bleeding and after that the wound was sutured. Data was collected regarding the operating time, mouth opening, and facial swelling. Facial swelling was measured by "point counting technique" on standard posteroanterior skull radiographs. The comparisons of differences belonging to ORC, GS and CS applications on preoperative and postoperative edema showed that the differences were not statistically significant according to analysis of variance (ANOVA) (p>0.05). This study has shown that the haemostatic local agents do not have any significant effect in the facial edema. © 2015 OMU.