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Purpose: This prospective study compared the patients perception of immediate postoperative recovery after surgical exposure of impacted teeth, treated with a closed-eruption versus an open-eruption surgical technique., Patients and Methods: Sixty patients (41 females and 19 males; mean age, 15.4 +/- 2.8 years) were given a Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) questionnaire to be completed each postoperative day (POD) for 7 days. The questionnaire was designed to assess the patients perception of recovery regarding pain, oral function, general activity measures, and other parameters. The impact of possible predictor variables, such as age, gender, length of surgical procedure, tooth location, height of impaction, and the need for bone removal, was assessed., Results: Substantial impairment and recovery time of pain and analgesic consumption, oral function (ability to eat and enjoy food, swallowing and mouth opening), and food accumulation were longer after an open-eruption exposure. No differences were recorded concerning general activity. Palatal impaction and the need for bone removal resulted in delayed recovery after exposure with an open-eruption technique., Conclusions: The immediate postoperative recovery was longer and more substantially impaired after open-eruption versus closed-eruption surgical techniques. The present study provides information to patients and clinicians assisting them in choosing the most appropriate surgical modality in relation to quality of health parameters.

This prospective study evaluated patients' perceptions of recovery after surgical exposure of impacted teeth treated with a closed-eruption surgical-orthodontic technique. Twenty-nine patients (16 female, 13 male; mean age, 16 +/- 2.8 years) were given a health-related quality of life questionnaire to be completed each postoperative day (POD) for 7 days. The questionnaire was designed to assess the patient's perception of recovery: pain, oral function, general activity, and other parameters. The impact of possible predictor variables, such as age, sex, length of surgical procedure, tooth location, height of impaction, and need for bone removal were assessed. Severe pain (27.6%, 13.8%, 3.4%) and consumption of analgesics (76%, 41%, 17%) declined gradually over the first 3 PODs. Improvement in oral function and other symptoms was evident by PODs 3 and 4. Absence from school outweighed interference in daily activity by 3 days (POD 6 vs POD 3). Buccolingual tooth location was the most significant predictor variable, with results showing a delayed recovery for patients with buccally impacted teeth. The most striking difference was reported with regard to swelling (P <.0001), followed by mouth opening (P =.008) and speech (P =.05). When the surgical procedure lasted 30 minutes or longer, there was prolonged recovery from pain (P =.01). This study provides information to patients and clinicians on postoperative recovery after surgical exposure of impacted teeth by the closed-eruption surgical-orthodontic technique.