Complications of Third Molar Extraction: A retrospective study from a tertiary healthcare centre in Oman.

OBJECTIVES: This retrospective study aimed to investigate complications associated with the extraction of third molars at a tertiary healthcare centre in Oman. METHODS: All consecutive patients who underwent extraction of one or more impacted third molars under general anaesthesia at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between January 2007 and December 2017 were included. Age, gender, indication for extraction, teeth removed, procedure and complications were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 1,116 third molars (56% mandibular and 44% maxillary) were extracted and the majority (67.7%) were from female patients. The mean age at extraction was 24 ± 5 years and most patients (77.7%) were 20-29 years old. The intraoperative and postoperative complication rates were 3.7% and 8.3%, respectively. The intraoperative complications included tuberosity fracture (1.2%), root fracture (1.1%), bleeding (0.7%), soft tissue injury (0.5%) and adjacent tooth damage (0.2%). Postoperative complications were sensory nerve injuries (7.2%), swelling/pain/trismus (0.6%) and dry socket (0.5%). Nerve injury was temporary in 41 patients and permanent in four cases. A statistically significant relationship was observed between those aged 30-39 years and dry socket (P = 0.010) as well as bone removal and all postoperative complications (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Most complications resulting from third molar extractions were minor and within the reported ranges in the scientific literature. However, increased age and bone removal were associated with a higher risk of complications. These findings may help to guide treatment planning, informed consent and patient education.

Direct Observation of Early-Stage High-Dose Radiotherapy-Induced Vascular Injury via Basement Membrane-Targeting Nanoparticles.

Collagen IV-targeting peptide-conjugated basement membrane-targeting nanoparticles are successfully engineered to identify early-stage blood vessel injury induced by high-dose radiotherapy.

Management of Temporomandibular Disorders with Low Level Laser Therapy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of low level laser therapy (LLLT) in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in relation to pain intensity, tender points, joint sounds and jaw movements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients received 6 sessions of LLLT (3 times a week for 2 weeks) with semiconductive diode laser (gallium arsenide; 904 nm, 0.6 W, 60 s, 4 J/cm(2)). Pain intensity, number of tender points, joint sounds and active range of motion were assessed before and immediately after each session and after 1, 2 weeks, 1, 3 and 6 months. RESULTS: Statistically significant results were achieved in all study parameters. CONCLUSION: LLLT promoted satisfactory results in reducing the pain intensity, number of tender points, joint sounds and improvement in the range of jaw motion. Hence it is an effective and efficient treatment method for TMDs.

Pontine haemorrhage due to chondrosarcoma of the skull base.

A young adult presented with acute weakness of right side of body and slurring of speech. An initial brain CT scan showed a pontine haemorrhage, however MRI done a few days later revealed a mass in the left parapharyngeal space. Histopathology of the mass revealed that it was a chondrosarcoma. Subsequently the patient was initially treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy and later surgery. Skull base chondrosarcomabe is to be included in the differentials of a young patient presenting with signs consistent with pontine haemorrhage.