Use of Topical Ozone Therapy for Wound Healing after Transalveolar Extractions: A Miracle Alternative Therapy

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the effect of topical ozone therapy for wound healing after transalveolar extractions. Materials and methods: A prospective study was conducted on 72 patients who underwent transalveolar extraction procedure and were divided into 2 groups–Ozone group and the control group with 36 patients in each group. After the procedure, the patients in the ozone group, received ozonated oil and the control group received normal saline irrigation. The ozone group patients were prescribed to apply the Ozonated oil locally at the extraction site for 3 times daily for a period of 5 days. Antibiotics were not prescribed in the ozone group but were given for the control group. Analgesics were given on SOS basis in the ozone group and for 5 days in the control group. The subjects were evaluated for postoperative wound healing, pain and swelling on the 3rd and 7th day. The final POSSE score and the number of analgesics taken were recorded on the 7th day. Results: Patients in the ozone group had better wound healing on POD3 and POD7 when compared to the control group. There were decreased VAS pain, and swelling scores in the ozone group compared to the control group with statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). The patients in the ozone group took lesser analgesics than the control group. Overall post-extraction discomfort was significantly lesser in the ozone group when compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: With the present study results, we can say that the topical ozone therapy can be used as an effective treatment modality for accelerating healing and reducing the pain after transalveolar dental extractions. Clinical significance: Dental extraction, though routinely done procedure in the clinical setting, has various postoperative complications, pain and swelling being the most common. Hence, ozone therapy can be used as an effective topical agent to manage post-extraction pain and swelling in healthy patients without the need for excess medications.