Influence of trans-operative complications on socket healing following dental extractions

Extraction healing complications have been attributed to several factors. The influence of trans-operative complications on an extraction site wound healing was the focus of this investigation.

This prospective study was conducted at the Oral Surgery Clinic of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in Nigeria . Subjects selected were those referred for one or two adjacent extractions and who satisfied the inclusion criteria for the study. The relevant pre-operative information recorded for each patient were age and sex of patient, indications for extraction, time taken to extract the tooth, tooth/teeth removed, and any trans-operative complications. Extractions were performed with dental forceps, elevators, or both under local anaesthesia. Patients were blindly evaluated on the third and seventh post-operative day for socket healing assessment without reference to pre-operative information on the patients.

Seventy-three (24.25%) of 301 teeth considered for socket healing assessment had various trans-operative complications due to accidental crown, root, or alveolar bone fractures. Of the 73 extractions with trans-operative complications during extraction, 18 developed a socket healing complication, while 17 of the 228 extractions without trans-operative complications developed socket healing complications (p = .000). The mean (SD) time taken to extract teeth developing healing complications was also found to be significantly longer than those without healing complications (p < .01).

The study demonstrated the combination of tooth/bone fragments in the socket and increased time of extraction due to trans-operative complications and accidents predispose to the development of extraction site wound healing disturbance.