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The effect of polylactic acid granules on the incidence of alveolar osteitis after mandibular third molar surgery. A
1University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry, USA.
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of polylactic acid granules placed in third molar sockets on the incidence of alveolar osteitis.
Study Design:
A prospective randomized study with 161 patients (322 bilaterally impacted mandibular third molars).
Results:
The sockets in which the polylactic acid granules were placed had a significantly higher rate of alveolar osteitis (23.6%) than did the control sockets (13.58%). In all subgroups analyzed, the incidence of alveolar osteitis was higher in the experimental (polylactic acid) group.
Conclusion:
On the basis of the findings of this study, polylactic acid granules do not reduce the incidence of alveolar osteitis and may actually contribute to a higher incidence of alveolar osteitis.
