Patient-reported outcome measures after routine periodontal and implant surgical procedures

To compare patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) after different dental surgical procedures over a 1-week post-surgical period and in relation to duration of the surgery, and periosteal releasing incisions. To evaluate the prevalence of post-surgical complications.

Four hundred and sixty-eight healthy dental patients requiring surgeries, such as crown lengthening (CL), open flap debridement (OFD) and implant installation (IMP) in the National Dental Centre, Singapore (2009-2011), were consecutively recruited. PROMs on bleeding, swelling, pain and bruising were obtained using Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) on days 0, 3, 5 and 7 post-operatively.

On the day of surgery, the IMP procedure gave the lowest median VAS for all four PROM parameters. After a week, OFD still had a significantly higher VAS for swelling, pain and bruising. Patients who underwent procedures lasting more than 60 min. had higher VAS for all parameters except bleeding. After considering other important confounders, type of surgery procedure was no longer associated with the VAS score for any of the parameters. Time after surgery, male gender and shorter surgery duration reduced post-operative VAS for one or more of the parameters. Longer surgeon experience helps reduce VAS scores only for bleeding. Prevalence for tenderness to palpation was 11.6%, 8.9% and 12.2% for IMP, CL and OFD, respectively, 1-week post-operatively. Swelling and suppuration occurred rarely.

The median VAS scores for all PROM parameters were generally low and reduced to near zero over a week following all three surgical procedures tested. Time after surgery and shorter surgery duration were associated with lower VAS scores in all the PROM parameters in this cohort of patients. Surgery type was not associated significantly with VAS after adjustment with other important confounders. Low prevalences of post-surgical complications were reported.