ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Oral surgeons are exposed to blood spatter. The authors evaluated the prevalence of and risk factors for blood spatter in facial masks during oral surgery procedures. METHODS: The authors evaluated facial masks and caps of oral surgeons and assistants for blood spatter using the Kastle-Meyer test after different oral surgery procedures. The authors correlated the presence of blood spatter to the clinician, type of surgery, surgery time, and self-awareness of blood spatter, using χ2 and t tests. RESULTS: The authors analyzed a total of 202 samples and detected blood particles in 46% of the samples in both operators and assistants. The authors observed blood contamination in all types of procedures, and in 4% of the cases, the internal part of the visor was also affected. Clinicians were unaware of the presence of blood spatter in 40% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of clinician contamination with blood during tooth extraction and implant placement was 46%. The risk increased with the use of high-speed instruments and longer surgery time. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The use of facial protective devices should be mandatory during oral surgery procedures to avoid blood contamination, especially when rotary devices are used. In many cases, imperceptible blood spatter is present.
Subject(s)
Surgery, Oral , Dental Care , Humans , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Tooth ExtractionABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To identify the microbiome in sockets with alveolar osteitis and compare it with a control group using metagenomic techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in subjects that had undergone a tooth extraction. Microbiological samples were taken from the sockets of 10 patients with dry socket after tooth extraction (AO group) and 10 patients in whom exodontia resulted in no postoperative complications (control group). Bacterial DNA was isolated, and the 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced. Multiplexed tag-encoded sequencing of DNA from the samples was performed, and the reads were processed by Metagenomic Rapid Annotation. RESULTS: A total of 151 different species were found: 55 bacteria were only found in the AO group, 51 were specific to the control group, and 45 were common to both groups. The most frequently found genera in both groups were Prevotella. Prevotella nanceiensis, Actinomyces odontolyticus, Treponema maltophilum, Veillonella dispar, Tannerella forsythia, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were found in several patients with alveolar osteitis, with an abundance greater than 0.5%, and were absent in all the control group samples. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who develop alveolar osteitis after dental extractions might have a different microbiota from that of patients without postoperative complications. Since this is a preliminary report, further research is needed to assess whether bacteria play an important role in the etiology of dry socket. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study seems to indicate that bacteria may play an important role in the alveolar osteitis etiology. Thus, new prevention and treatment strategies should be considered.
