Envelope Flap Versus Triangular Flap (Ward’s Incision) Design in Mandibular Third Molar Disimpaction: A Prospective Comparative Clinical Study

Abstract

Aim: The aim of study was to assess the influence of envelope flap and triangular flap (Ward’s incision) on post operative healing after mandibular third molar surgery in relation to pain, swelling, trismus, dry socket and wound gaping. Methods: Study was done on twenty patients. They were having symmetrical bilateral impacted mandibular third molars. Total forty procedures were done on them. One side of jaw received an envelope flap, and the other side received triangular flap procedure, within a gap of one month. data was recorded on 24 hours, 3rd day and 7th day. The statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test. Which was consider as statistically significant if P < 0.05. Results: Post surgery pain score and swelling were significantly higher in envelope flap compared to triangular flap procedure. There was no significant difference for trismus, wound gapping and dry socket in both the flap. Post surgery P-value is significant for pain and swelling, but P-value was insignificant for trismus, wound gapping and dry socket. Conclusion: This study showed that Triangular flap procedure for removal of third molar is better choice, if we consider pain and post-operative swelling as an outcome, but there was no significant difference in terms of post-operative wound gaping, trismus and dry socket.