C-reactive protein a better indicator of inflammation after third molar extraction.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between pre-operative pain and pre-operative levels of C-reactive and post-operative pain and swelling in impacted third molar surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this prospective study subjects were patients indicated for mandibular third molar extraction. Patients were assessed for certain inclusion and exclusion criteria's. A standard surgical extraction procedure was followed to reduce the bias. Hematological investigation of C-reactive protein levels were recorded pre-operatively and post-operatively. Pain, swelling and trismus in patients were assessed pre-operatively and post-operatively in an interval of 24 hours, 48 hours and 7 days. Pain and swelling were measured using verbal analogue scale and thread length measurement respectively. The mouth opening was recorded, too. RESULTS Post-operative C-reactive protein levels were seen consistency raised in those cases which showed high pre-operative levels. Peak levels of C-reactive protein were seen at 48 hours post operatively. It was observed that pre-operative pain swelling and mouth opening were seen to be variable in all the cases having high C-reactive protein levels. CONCLUSION C-reactive protein was found to be a better indicator of inflammation than pre-operative pain, swelling and mouth opening for post-operative discomfort.