Lack of evidence for increased postoperative bleeding risk for dental osteotomy with continued aspirin therapy

OBJECTIVE: Dental osteotomy, the removal of an impacted, ankylosed, or severely destroyed tooth requiring an osteotomy, is more invasive than other minor dental procedures and therefore also has a higher bleeding risk. A considerable number of patients under antiplatelet therapy interrupt their therapy perioperatively, which, however, increases the risk of thromboembolism.

STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective study assessed postoperative bleeding incidence for a total of 297 dental osteotomies with continued aspirin therapy, compared with that of 179 similar procedures on patients who were not on any anticoagulation or anti-platelet therapy. All procedures were carried out on an outpatient basis.

RESULTS: Postoperative bleeding event was rare in both groups, 5 (1.7%) and 2 (1.1%), respectively, and the difference was not significant (P = .7).

CONCLUSIONS: Continued aspirin therapy in patients undergoing dental osteotomies has no effect on the incidence of postoperative bleeding and should not be interrupted.