Dental extraction for patients on oral anticoagulant therapy.

Dental extraction in patients receiving long-term oral anticoagulant therapy is a controversial issue. Continuation of anticoagulation exposes the patient to serious hemorrhage, whereas cessation of therapy increases the risk of thromboembolism. Forty patients treated by coumarin underwent 63 tooth extractions, without a change in the therapeutic protocol of anticoagulation. The biologic adhesive Beriplast was used successfully to achieve local hemostasis at the site of the surgical wound. Apart from one patient who had mild oozing, there were no incidences of postsurgical hemorrhage.