Are SSIs Higher After Third Molar Extractions in PDDs?

Background: Third molar surgery is among the most common procedure performed in oral and maxillofacial surgeons’ offices. Patients with developmental disabilities (PDDs) present unique challenges both intraoperatively as well as postoperatively. Intraoperatively, PDDs may have more difficulty cooperating and may require a deeper anesthetic depth entailing general anesthesia in the operating room (OR). Postoperatively, PDDs may not be able to maintain adequate oral hygiene and may be dependent on caregiver assistance. If oral hygiene is insufficient in PDDs, this may result in an increased risk of surgical site infection (SSI). Objective: To assess if the risk of SSI after third molar extraction is greater in PDDs or patients without developmental disabilities (PwoDDs), to compare treatments of the SSI between groups, and to identify any covariates that may affect the rate of SSIs. Design: Retrospective study. Methods: Records of patients who had all 4 third molars plus addition more...