Assessment of the complications encountered during and after surgical removal of maxillary third molar: An observational study

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of different complications during and after maxillary third molar extraction. Materials and Methods: An observational study was conducted at Ruby Dental Clinic and Implant Centre, Kunnamkulam, Kerala, India from April 2018 to March 2019. Total 120 Patient who were planned for surgical extraction of maxillary third molar were included in this study. All surgical extractions of maxillary third molar were performed under local anesthesia by a qualified and experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Results: A total of 120 patients of surgical extraction of maxillary third molar were carried out under local anaesthesia over a scheduled period of study. 38 patients were having intra-operative or postoperative complications. Out of 120 patients, 75 were males and 45 were female patients. Most common complications in our study were maxillary tuberosity fracture seen in 13 patients (34.2%). The second most commonly found complication was delayed wound healing 6 (15.8%), postoperative pain 5 (13.2%) and post-operative infection 4 (10.5%). Conclusion: The risk of complications in third molar surgery will always exist and increases in proportion to the surgical difficulty.