Oral surgery: Considerations for the medically complex patient

As life expectancy and the number of people living with chronic illness increases, the medical complexity of patients requiring oral surgery will also increase. This and the continuously evolving range of medical treatments used to manage their conditions will increasingly challenge dentists in both primary and secondary care to avoid complications and treat this patient group safely.This paper will describe the importance of careful treatment planning including consideration of the timing and location in which oral surgery is undertaken for medically complex patients. The risk of acute medical events, bleeding, infection, and impaired healing which may complicate oral surgical procedures in this group of patients is discussed and the role in their care played by general dental practitioners explored.