Impact of Pericoronary Microbiota Composition on Course of Recovery after Third Molar Alveotomy

Abstract

Although the role of microbiota has been investigated in relation to different oral diseases, it is unknown if its composition has any effect on the course of recovery after third molar alveotomy. Our aim was to determine the influence of patient clinical characteristics as well as pericoronary microbiota composition on the course of recovery after a semi-impacted third molar alveotomy. Thirty-six patients were included and samples obtained with paper points, swabs, and tissue samples were analyzed using DNA hybridization and culture methods. Among the 295 organisms detected, the most frequent were Streptococcus spp. (22.4%; 66/295) followed by Fusobacterium spp. (11.9%; 35/295), and T. forsythia (9.1%; 27/295). A comparison of microbiota composition in patients with better and worse recovery did not show significant differences. Worse recovery outcomes were more frequent in patients with a grade 2 self-assessment of oral health (p = 0.040) and better recovery courses were observed in patients with a grade 4 self-assessment (p = 0.0200). A worse recovery course was statistically significant more frequently in patients with previous oral surgical procedures (p = 0.019). Although we demonstrate that worse recovery outcomes were more frequent when certain bacteria were detected, there was no statistically significant difference. Further research is needed to identify microbial profiles specific to the development of worse outcomes after a third molar alveotomy.