Application of propolis extract, nanovitamin C and nanovitamin E to prevent alveolar osteitis after impacted lower third molar surgery. A randomized, double-blind, split-mouth, pilot study / Aplicación de extracto de propóleo, nanovitamina C y nanovitamina E para prevenir la osteítis alveolar después de una cirugía de terceros molares inferiores retenidos. Un estudio piloto aleatorizado, doble ciego y de boca dividida

ABSTRACT

Background: Propolis has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and healing properties. The purpose of this study was todetermine whether a gel containing 2% of propolis extract, 0.2% of ascorbic acid and 0.2% of tocopherol acetateis effective in preventing surgical complications related to impacted lower third molar extractions.Material and Methods: A randomized, double-blind, split-mouth study was performed. Fifteen patients were re-cruited who needed bilateral impacted lower third molar extractions with a similar surgical difficulty. A test orplacebo gel was administered randomly inside post-extraction sockets. Each patient was instructed to apply thegel 3 times/day in the surgical wound for a week. After a month, the contralateral third molar was extracted, andthe opposite gel applied. The following parameters were diagnosed/evaluated and then recorded: alveolar osteitisfollowing Blum’s criteria, swelling and trismus at day one, two, three and seven post-intervention, wound healingat day 7 post-intervention, and postoperative pain using a visual analog scale, as well as, the number of analgesicpill intake.Results: A total of twenty-six surgical procedures were performed in 13 patients (mean age 20.67±2 years). Alveo-lar osteitis was reported in 3 patients from the placebo group (23.1%) and none in the test group (0%) (p=0.25). Nostatistically significant differences were reported in swelling, trismus, wound healing or analgesic pill consump-tion between two groups. But statistically lower postoperative pain during the 7 days after surgical extractionswas found according to visual analog scale in test group compared to the placebo group (p=0.007). No side effectswere reported.(AU)