Efficacy of Hyaluronic Acid Gel Application for Reduction of Postoperative Complications after Removal of Impacted Mandibular Third Molar

Aim: The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of using hyaluronic acid (HA) gel to reduce postoperative complications following the extraction of impacted mandibular third molar. Materials and methods: Fifty patients who required extraction of impacted mandibular third molars with the same difficulty level were included in the present study. Following the surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar, patients were assigned to the following groups (n = 25)—group I: Control group—only saline irrigation, group II: Study group—saline irrigation followed by placement of HA gel in the socket. Patient satisfaction was assessed in both groups, along with measuring mouth opening and recording pain on the first, fifth, and seventh postoperative days. All information gathered was statistically analyzed. Results: Overall, while only seven patients were very satisfied in group I, 13 patients were very satisfied in group II. On the 1st day, mouth opening was 30.13 ± 0.12 and 30.79 ± 0.08 in group I and group II, respectively. On the fifth day, it was 33.41 ± 0.09 and 35.83 ± 0.05 in groups I and II, and on the 7th day, it was 35.23 ± 0.03 and 37.33 ± 0.04 in groups I and II, respectively. On pain assessment, on the 1st day, slight pain was experienced by 9 and 12 patients in group I and group II, respectively. On the fifth day, slight pain was reported by 10 and 15 patients in groups I and II, and on the 7th day, only one patient in group I reported no pain, while three reported no pain in group II, respectively. The significant difference in patients’ pain was noted on the fifth and 7th days between the two groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, HA gel is efficient in the treatment of trismus and pain reduction after the removal of impacted mandibular third molar. Clinical significance: Hyaluronic acid is a significant carbohydrate element of the extracellular matrix, found throughout connective, epithelial, and neural tissues. Because HA is used to improve healing after dental procedures, it has recently acquired popularity as an adjuvant therapy for minor oral surgeries.