Acute Airway Obstruction Secondary to Lingual Hematoma after Lower Third Molar Extraction: A Case Report

The simple extraction of third molars has become a common surgical procedure performed at dental clinics. In addition, bleeding from tooth extraction is considered to be one of the obvious complications. Note, however, that acute airway obstruction from post-extraction hematoma is a rare but potentially fatal complication of an extraction, particularly associated with lower third molars. After extraction, severe pre-operative and post-operative bleeding may occur, which will necessitate emergency management. This paper reports a case of acute airway obstruction that occurred as a result of massive hematoma in the floor of the mouth after extracting the lower third molar. J Korean Dent Sci. 2014;7(1):43-47 http://dx.doi.org/10.5856/JKDS.2014.7.1.43 ISSN 2005-4742