ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The aim of this survey was to show that tooth extraction could be performed in patients taking antiplatelet agents. The main indication of antiplatelet agents is to reduce the thrombotic disease. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The authors made a descriptive and retrospective analysis of 52 patients taking antiplatelet agents in their department between February 2003 and January 2005. Two hundred and eighteen tooth extractions were performed. For each extraction, a protocol of local hemostasis (filling, suture, compression) was applied. RESULTS: Three hemorrhagic sockets were reported out of 218 extractions performed without stopping the antiplatelet agent treatment (1.3%). One patient presented with persistent bleeding out of 52 cases (1.9%). No hemostasis had been performed on this patient; a local hemostasis was performed during surgical revision, which stopped the persistent bleeding. DISCUSSION: These results show that the hemorrhagic risk can be controlled by a local hemostasis protocol.
