To Compare Bone Formation in Terms of Mean-gray Scale Histographic Values After Surgical Removal of Bilaterally Impacted Mandibular Third Molars in Patients Treated with and without Simvastatin: A Split-mouth Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objectives: To compare bone formation in terms of mean-gray scale histographic values after surgical removal of bilaterally impacted mandibular third molars in patients treated with and without simvastatin.

Materials and Methods: This randomized, split mouth clinical study was conducted in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Dental Section, Allied Hospital, Faisalabad from November 2021 to May 2022. Thirty consecutive patients (30 extraction sockets per group) selected randomly, met the inclusion criteria and were included for study. Each patient underwent two surgical sessions, extracting one third molar during each session. The mouth was divided into study and control sides using the lottery method. After standard surgical removal, the study side received gel-foam soaked in simvastatin, while the control side received gel foam soaked in normal saline. The study spanned 3 months, with bone formation assessment at the 12 postoperative week using digitalized intra-oral peri-apical radiographs and histogram analysis.

Results: Atotal of 30 patients participated in the study out of which 70% (n=21) cases categorized within 18-30 years age group whereas 30% (n=9) were aged between 31 to 35 years, with a mean age of 27.9 ± 4.33 years. Sixty percent (n=18) patients were male, while the remaining 40% (n=12) were female. Comparison of mean bone density on both sides showed a mean-gray scale histographic value of 107.83±3.99 on the study side and 97.40±4.42 on the control side, with a statistically significant p-value of 0.0001.

Conclusion: There is a significant difference in bone reformation in patients treated with simvastatin as compared to those without simvastatin application.