Page 15 - Demo

General introduction and outline of this thesis113In the current literature, there is an increased interest in reducing the risk of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) damage, which can occur in about 1–3.6% of cases following surgical removal of the mandibular third molar. This damage can be permanent, resulting in persistent sensory loss of the lower lip and chin. Because the IAN runs deeply in the mandible, mostly apical on the lingual or buccal site, coronectomy has been described as an alternative treatment. In coronectomy, the crown of the wisdom tooth is removed and the non-mobile roots are left in place, thus avoiding any manipulation of or interaction with the IAN.19-21 The main goal of this procedure is to prevent damage to the IAN when removing the wisdom tooth, located near the IAN. To date, studies of coronectomy have mainly focused on the technical procedure, postoperative root migration, and registration of any damage of the IAN. No studies have been performed to assess how coronectomy impacts postoperative OHRQoL in the first week after coronectomy, when it is expected that patients will experience the most discomfort. Another frequent outpatient oral and maxillofacial procedure is periapical surgery, which is performed when endodontic orthograde retreatment fails to successfully eliminate a periapical infection.22 The procedure causes swelling, discomfort, and pain, and will negatively influence the patient’s OHRQoL especially in the first 48 hour.23 To date, little information is available about patients’ well-being after periapical surgery, but the number of studies is increasing. Additional measures might ameliorate the effects of periapical surgery, in terms of postoperative pain and OHRQoL, including the postoperative use of corticosteroids, or the use of platelet concentrates during surgery, but conflicting outcomes have been reported.24, 25Dentofacial deformities are characterized by disharmony among the face and skeletal structures, and may have negative impacts on facial aesthetics and the stomatognathic system balance. Skeletal deformities can be associated with malocclusion and neuromuscular system imbalance, potentially leading to impairments of respiration, mastication, and phonation. Orthognathic surgery under general anesthesia is performed to correct facial asymmetries, including undergrowth or overgrowth of the jaws or chin. In the field of orthognathic surgery, many research studies have investigated quality of life, mostly using the OHIP-14 questionnaire.26-33 However, there are no published data regarding the development of OHIP-14 scores during the first postoperative week.