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Third molar removal and its impact on quality of life: systematic review and meta-analysis

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Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the impact of third molar removal on patient’s quality of life.

Methods

To address the study purpose, investigators designed and implemented a systematic review. The primary outcome variable was the quality of life after third molar extraction. An electronic search was conducted through March, 2017, on the PUBMED, Virtual Health Library (VHL), Web of Science, and OVID, to identify relevant literatures. Research studies (randomized or non-randomized clinical trials) were included that evaluated the quality of life in individuals before and after third molar extraction, using validated measures of oral health-related quality of life with quantitative approach, besides procedures performed under local anesthesia. The R software was used to measure the mean difference on the quality of life between the preoperative period and follow-up days.

Results

A total of 1141 studies were identified. Of this total, 13 articles were selected in the present systematic review, of which six studies were included in the meta-analysis. All of these 13 articles used the OHIP-14, and 4 of this 13 used OHQoLUK-16 to evaluate the quality of life. Regarding quality assessment, four of the 13 included studies in this review received a maximum score of 9 points, according to the Newcastle–Ottawa (NOS). The OHIP-14 mean score on the first postoperative day was 17.57 (95% CI 11.84–23.30, I2 = 96%) higher than the preoperative period. On the seventh postoperative day, the quality of life assessed by OHIP-14 got worse again.

Conclusion

This systematic review revealed that the highest negative impact on quality of life of individuals submitted to third molar surgery was observed on the first postoperative day, decreasing over the follow-up period.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Rua da Glória, 187, Diamantina, MG, 39100-000, Brazil

    Lucas Duarte-Rodrigues, Ednele Fabyene Primo Miranda & Taiane Oliveira Souza

  2. Department of General Dentistry, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Rua da Glória, 187, Diamantina, MG, 39100-000, Brazil

    Haroldo Neves de Paiva

  3. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Rua da Glória, 187, Diamantina, MG, 39100-000, Brazil

    Saulo Gabriel Moreira Falci

  4. René Rachou Institute, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715 - Barro Preto, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30190-002, Brazil

    Endi Lanza Galvão

Authors
  1. Lucas Duarte-Rodrigues
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  2. Ednele Fabyene Primo Miranda
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  3. Taiane Oliveira Souza
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Correspondence to Saulo Gabriel Moreira Falci.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All studies included in this systematic review were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee, with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its subsequent amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Duarte-Rodrigues, L., Miranda, E.F.P., Souza, T.O. et al. Third molar removal and its impact on quality of life: systematic review and meta-analysis. Qual Life Res 27, 2477–2489 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-018-1889-1

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