Removal of impacted third molars by oral/maxillofacial surgery and general dentistry residents

The post-operative symptoms of patients who had undergone third molar extractions by Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) residents were compared with those of patients whose extractions were performed by General Dentistry (GD) residents. The OMS group had more extractions per visit and were more likely to use intravenous sedation than the GD-treated group. No significant differences were found when the provider groups were compared by post-operative symptoms such as osteitis, infection, trismus, or paresthesia/dysthesia. The pain relief due to postoperative analgesics during the immediate 12-hour period was higher for patients treated by GD residents. Multiple regression analysis revealed that this difference was due to the number of teeth extracted and the complexity of the surgical procedure, independent of type of provider.