Vitamin C and postoperative outcomes following mandibular third molar extraction: a randomized split-mouth study.

2026-05
Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology 141(5)
- Merve Demirel
- Alper Aktas
- Mevlüde Kizil
- Nadir Yalcin

PubMed: 41309404
DOI: 10.1016/j.oooo.2025.10.011

Study Design

Type: Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Population: 56 healthy individuals
Methods: randomized, double-blind, split-mouth clinical trial; vitamin C and placebo randomly assigned to each side; supplementation began 1 day before surgery and continued for 7 days
Blinding: Double-blind
Duration: 7 days

Objective

This randomized, double-blind, split-mouth clinical trial evaluated the effects of oral vitamin C supplementation on early wound healing and postoperative complications following the surgical extraction of impacted mandibular third molars.

Study design

Fifty-six healthy individuals underwent bilateral extractions, with vitamin C and placebo randomly assigned to each side. Supplementation began 1 day before surgery and continued for 7 days. Clinical outcomes, including pain, analgesic consumption, wound healing, facial swelling, and trismus, were measured preoperatively and on postoperative days 2 and 7.

Results

Pain scores were significantly lower in the vitamin C group on day 2, while analgesic use and wound healing showed favorable trends, although these differences did not reach statistical significance. Facial swelling was significantly reduced on day 2 in the vitamin C group across all measurements. Trismus did not differ significantly between groups.

Conclusions

Oral vitamin C supplementation may reduce early postoperative pain and swelling and may support early wound healing following third molar surgery. As a safe, accessible, and low-cost intervention, vitamin C could serve as a useful adjunct in oral surgical practice to improve patient recovery and comfort. Further randomized controlled trials with longer follow-up and optimized dosing protocols are warranted.

Research Insights

Vitamin C→Reduced Facial Swelling
Facial swelling was significantly reduced on day 2 in the vitamin C group across all measurements.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Moderate
Vitamin C→Reduced Pain
Pain scores were significantly lower in the vitamin C group on day 2
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Moderate