Pure type-1 collagen application to third molar extraction socket reduces postoperative pain score and duration and promotes socket bone healing.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Extraction of the third molar may cause post-operative complications. This study assessed whether application of pure type-1 collagen to the third molar extraction socket can reduce post-operative pain score and duration and promote socket bone healing.

METHODS

Fourteen patients who underwent 20 bilateral and symmetric third molar extractions were included in this study. After two tooth extractions at two different occasions in the same patient, one socket was filled with pure type-1 collagen (experimental group, n = 20) and the other socket received nothing but the blood clot (control group, n = 20). The post-operative pain score and duration, mouth-opening limitation, and the bone density at the socket site were assessed at weeks 1, 2, 4, and 8 after tooth extraction.

RESULTS

Patients in the experimental group had a significantly lower mean post-operative pain score (2.6 ± 1.2) than patients in the control group (4.7 ± 2.0), and had a significantly shorter post-operative pain duration (2.7 ± 1.4 days) than patients in the control group (3.7 ± 1.8 days). We also observed a significantly lower frequency of mouth-opening limitation in 20 experimental-group patients (45%) than in 20 control-group patients (90%, P = 0.007). Moreover, a significantly higher mineralization ratio (10.2%) was found in the experimental socket site than in the control socket site.

CONCLUSION

Application of pure type-1 collagen to the third molar extraction socket can reduce post-operative pain score and duration, decrease the frequency of mouth-opening limitation, and increase mineralization ratio at the extraction socket site.