Oral health-related quality of life following third molar surgery with or without application of ice pack therapy.

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Oral health-related quality of life following third molar surgery with or without application of ice pack therapy.

Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2016 Sep;20(3):239-47

Authors: Ibikunle AA, Adeyemo WL

Abstract
AIM: To evaluate the effect of ice pack therapy on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) following third molar surgery.
METHODS: All consecutive subjects who required surgical extraction of lower third molars and satisfied the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated into two groups. Subjects in group A were instructed to apply ice packs directly over the masseteric region on the operated side intermittently after third molar surgery. This first application was supervised in the clinic and was repeated at the 24-h postoperative review. Subjects in group A were further instructed to apply the ice pack when at home every one and a half hours on postoperative days 0 and 1 while he/she was awake as described. Group B subjects did not apply ice pack therapy. Facial swelling, pain, trismus, and quality of life (using Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) instrument) were evaluated both preoperatively and postoperatively. Postoperative scores in both groups were compared.
RESULTS: A significant increase in the mean total and subscale scores of OHIP-14 was found in both groups postoperatively when compared with preoperative value. Subjects who received ice pack therapy had a better quality of life than those who did not. Subjects whose postoperative QoL were affected were statistically significantly higher in group B than in group A at all postoperative evaluation points (P < 0.05). Statistically significant differences were also observed between the groups in the various subscales analyzed, with better quality of life seen among subjects in group A.
CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life after third molar surgery was significantly better in subjects who had cryotherapy after third molar than those who did not have cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is a viable alternative or adjunct to other established modes of improving the quality of life of patients following surgical extraction of third molars.

PMID: 27139019 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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