Psychological Impact of Third Molar Surgery: A 1-Month Prospective Study

Female and Older Adult Patients (age ≥ 21 Years) had Slower Recovery After Third-Molar Surgery Compared with Males and Younger Adults in a US Study

“…1 Many dental surgery patients, especially female patients, have high anxiety, and an anxious patient will experience heightened pain and fear during the surgical period. Risk factors for the development of postoperative anxiety and/ or posttraumatic stress disorder (PSTD) symptoms include preoperative exposure to trauma/dental trait anxiety, emotional distress/pain during treatment, long duration of the surgical procedure, and postoperative facial swelling.…”

“…Risk factors for the development of postoperative anxiety and/ or posttraumatic stress disorder (PSTD) symptoms include preoperative exposure to trauma/dental trait anxiety, emotional distress/pain during treatment, long duration of the surgical procedure, and postoperative facial swelling. [1][2][3][4] It has also been demonstrated that people with low income, socioeconomic status, and educational level tend to have high dental anxiety. 2 In a British survey, 88% of 105 third-molar surgery patients felt that postoperative pain was the same as expectation, or less than expectation before surgery.…”

“…5 This finding suggests that reassurance and appropriate anesthesia protocols or adequate pain management are important to third-molar surgery patients, and probably more important than overdetailed consent. 1,2,5 Second, it is generally accepted that complications after third-molar removal are associated with a set of one or more of the following factors: age, gender, medical history, use of oral contraceptives, presence of pericoronitis, poor oral hygiene, smoking, type of impaction, relationship of third molar to the inferior alveolar nerve, surgical time, surgical technique, surgeon experience, use of perioperative antibiotics, use of topical antiseptics, use of intrasocket medications, and anesthetic technique. 6 Common complications that are usually explained during the patient consent include nerve damage, dry socket, infection, hemorrhage, trismus, jaw fracture, pain, and iatrogenic damage to adjacent teeth.…”

“…4 Establishing a trusting relationship between the treating dentist/oral surgeon and the patient is also recommended. 1 In fact, oral diseases or disorders have functional or psychosocial impacts, including delayed clinical healing, that influence QoL. 12,13 Pain and inflammation (with difficulties on chewing and/or mouth opening) are the most influential factors affecting QoL after wisdomtooth surgery.…”

“…Using sedation or general anesthesia, however, does not reduce dental trait anxiety in the long term, and is less likely to lower anxiety during treatment than, for instance, a behavioral management approach. 1 Third, it is important to emphasize that a patient's autonomy includes right to refuse treatment. 15 Ferr usTorres et al 8 reported that 14 (16%) of 87 third-molar surgery patients were unaware that they could refuse the surgery.…”