Abstract
Design
A randomised, prospective clinical trial with parallel groups was carried out in a single centre.
Intervention
The experimental (gel) group (n=41) applied a bioadhesive 0.2% chlorhexidine gel to the wound during the first postoperative week and a control (rinse) group (n=32) used a 0.12% (v/v) chlorhexidine mouthrinse during the first week following third molar extraction. Patients were evaluated on the third and seventh postoperative day.
Outcome measure
Alveolar osteitis was evaluated according to Blum's criteria..
Results
A 70% decrease in postoperative alveolar osteitis in the gel group (P 0.04) was observed. The rinse group had 25% incidence of postoperative alveolar osteitis, whereas the gel group had 7.5%. T equates to a number needed to treat of six (95% confidence interval, 3–144).
Conclusions
It was concluded that the topical application of bioadhesive chlorhexidine gel to the surgical wound during the postoperative week may decrease the incidence of alveolar osteitis after extraction of the mandibular third molars.
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References
Blum IR . Contemporary view on dry socket (alveolar osteitis); a clinical appraisal of standardization, aetiopathogenesis and management: a critical review. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2002; 31: 309–317.
Torres-Lagares D, Gutierrez-Perez J, Infante-Ccossio P, Garcia-Calderon M, Romero-Ruiz MM, Serrera-Figallo M . A randomised, double-blind study on the effectiveness of intra-alveolar chlorhexidine gel in reducing the incidence of alveolar osteitis in mandibular third molar surgery. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2006; 35: 348–351.
Caso A, Hung LK, Beirne OR . Prevention of alveolar osteitis with chlorhexidine: a meta-analytic review. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endodontol 2005; 99: 155–159.
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Additional information
Address for correspondence: Dr Hita-Iglesias, University of Michigan, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 1500 Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor MI 48109-0018, USA. E-mail: pilarh@umich.edu; danieltl@us.es
Hita-Iglesias P, Torres-Lagares D, Flores-Ruiz R, Magallanes-Abad N, Basallote-Gonzalez M, Gutierrez-Perez JL. Effectiveness of chlorhexidine gel versus chlorhexidine rinse in reducing alveolar osteitis in mandibular third molar surgery. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2008; 66: 441–445
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Smith, K. Chlorhexidine gel reduces incidence of alveolar osteitis after extraction of the mandibular third molars. Evid Based Dent 10, 54–55 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ebd.6400655
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ebd.6400655
