Efficacy of simvastatin in bone regeneration after surgical removal of mandibular third molars.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of simvastatin in bone regeneration in extraction sockets of mandibular third molars using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) at 6th post-operative month. METHODS: This is a prospective randomized split-mouth study involving 15 patients who underwent surgical extraction of bilaterally impacted mandibular third molars with similar morphology on the same day. The efficacy of drug was analyzed by implanting 10 mg of simvastatin into the socket (study site) and observations were made over 6 months to compare the healing with the control site. RESULTS: The study results demonstrated a statistically significant difference in bone regeneration: mean gray value of 429.133 in study site compared with mean gray value of 310.153 in the control site. CONCLUSION: These values demonstrate significant change in bone regeneration in simvastatin site as compared to that of control site.

Short-Term Evaluation of Gustatory Changes After Surgical Removal of Mandibular Third Molar-A Prospective Randomized Control Trial.

PURPOSE: The present study was carried out to prospectively determine the incidence and severity of suprathreshold taste changes after surgical removal of mandibular third molars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients who required removal of impacted third molars were included in the study. Based on the Winter criteria of angulation of impacted mandibular third molars, 15 patients each with mesioangular, distoangular, horizontal, and vertical impacted third molars were selected. The chemo-gustometry chart in pentagon scheme was used to represent the results of gustometry and to establish a correlation between the difficulty index of impacted third molar removal and the incidence of gustatory changes. All patients underwent spatial taste testing preoperatively and 1 week postoperatively. RESULTS: The highest incidence of taste changes was noted in category 3 (difficulty score, 7 to 8) and mostly for distoangular and vertically impacted teeth. CONCLUSION: In their extensive patient analysis of 4 different taste sensations, the authors found that suprathreshold taste changes do occur after surgical removal of an impacted mandibular third molar, with a high difficulty index score indicating the highest prevalence for altered taste sensations for distoangular and vertical impactions.