Evidence mapPaperPMID 39987115Full record

Trial reportHead & face medicine2025

Evaluation of the usefulness of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) in mandibular third molar surgery with 3D facial swelling analysis: a split-mouth randomized clinical trial.

Selene Barone, Francesco Bennardo, Marianna Salviati, Alessandro Antonelli, Amerigo Giudice

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Head & face medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Selene Barone *School of Dentistry, Department of Health Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro, 88100, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0701-2675
Francesco Bennardo *School of Dentistry, Department of Health Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro, 88100, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6528-2681
Marianna SalviatiSchool of Dentistry, Department of Health Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro, 88100, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8913-6371
Alessandro AntonelliSchool of Dentistry, Department of Health Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro, 88100, Italy. alessandro.antonelli@unicz.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9557-3586
Amerigo GiudiceSchool of Dentistry, Department of Health Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro, 88100, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5091-6979

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThird molar surgery is associated with various postoperative complications (PC). Different strategies, including the application of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), have been implemented to reduce PC. Digital technologies have proven useful in objectively assessing postoperative facial swelling. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of PRF on reducing facial swelling after lower third molar surgery using a 3D face scanner.

methodsA randomized split-mouth clinical trial was set up and 32 patients (18 to 32 years), requiring extraction of both mandibular third molars, were recruited at the Oral Surgery Clinic of the Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro. The primary predictive variable was the application or not of PRF plugs and membranes in the post-extraction socket. Primary outcome variable was facial swelling recorded with a face scanner preoperatively (T0), after three (T1) and seven (T2) days. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis were conducted following an automated and standardized imaging analysis workflow using the 3D Slicer software. Secondary outcome variables were trismus, recorded by measuring the maximum buccal opening with a caliper, pain, recorded using a visual analogue scale (VAS), and duration of the surgery. Descriptive and bivariate analysis were performed by setting the significance level [Formula: see text] = 0.05.

resultsAll patients exhibited a significant increase in facial swelling at T1, followed by a subsequent reduction from day 3 to day 7, with a slight persistence of edema observed on the seventh day. No significant data emerged from the statistical analysis conducted. Linear differences in PRF group reported improved values of postoperative swelling only in the T1-T2 and T0-T2 phases of analysis. Volumetric differences favored PRF group compared with control group in all phases. VAS was lower in PRF group only at T2, compared with control group.

conclusionsApplication of PRF in post-extraction sockets showed effectiveness in reducing facial swelling. Its advantages, including accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and absence of adverse reactions, make it an optimal treatment choice in reducing post-surgical sequelae.

Indexed as

EdemaMolar, ThirdPlatelet-Rich FibrinPostoperative ComplicationsTooth ExtractionAdolescentAdultFaceFemaleHumansImaging, Three-DimensionalMaleMandibleTooth, ImpactedTreatment OutcomeTrismus3D analysisFacial scannerPlatelet-rich fibrinSwellingThird molar surgery

Identifiers

PMID39987115
PMCPMC11846411

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.