Third molar surgery under local anaesthesia--a clinical audit

A retrospective audit of third molar surgery performed under local anaesthesia in the Government Dental Clinic (Singapore), was undertaken to ascertain the prevalent indications for surgery, the types of medication commonly prescribed and the treatment outcome with an emphasis on the complications encountered. The audit revealed that prophylaxis was the chief indication for tooth removal and that both antibiotics and analgesics were prescribed by all staff members, with no one omitting the use of antimicrobials. A favourable outcome was recorded in 92.9% of the cases with a complication rate of 7.1%.