Are postoperative review appointments necessary following uncomplicated minor oral surgery?

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a postal survey of all current BAOMS Fellows concerning their practice and opinion on the usefulness and desirability of reviewing all patients following uncomplicated minor oral surgery. It also reports the results of a separate postal survey of 500 patients who had recently undergone third molar removal. The overwhelming majority of Fellows routinely review all their patients following third molar removal and apicectomy but not after simple exodontia. There was no excess morbidity in patients who were not offered a follow-up appointment compared to those who had been seen postoperatively after removal of their third molars. Patients not followed up in hospital postoperatively did not seek help from their doctor or dentist more frequently than patients who were followed-up. Despite the lack of evidence showing objective benefit to patients from postoperative follow-up, given the choice the majority of patients wish to be reviewed postoperatively.