Effect of Hilotherm Therapy on Post-operative Pain and Swelling Following Surgical Wisdom Tooth Removal
Effect of Hilotherm Therapy on Post-operative Pain and Swelling Following Surgical Wisdom Tooth Removal
This study evaluates the efficacy of Hilotherm therapy on the incidence of swelling and pain
 following the surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth. All participants will have two lower
 wisdom teeth removed, with the Hilotherm cooling face mask only applied to one side of the
 patients' face for 60 minutes post-operatively, thus the patient being their own control.
How does Hilotherm therapy affect post-operative pain and swelling after surgical wisdom
 tooth removal?

 Wisdom tooth removal is one of the most common minor oral surgical procedures. The most
 widely experienced post-operative complications include pain and swelling, and so any
 research into how these effects can be minimised is of utmost importance to improve the
 quality of care we can deliver to our patients.

 Our research is investigating the efficacy of Hilotherm therapy, which uses pre-shaped
 plastic facial masks through which water circulates at a controlled temperature, to reduce
 the experience of post-operative pain and swelling.

 The Hilotherm face mask will be placed immediately after the surgery, while the patient is in
 the recovery area and will be worn on ONE side of the face, this being randomised using a
 computer programme and decided at the time of surgery. It will be worn for one hour after
 wisdom tooth removal. We will then use 3D photography analysis of the patients face to assess
 the extent of swelling, their assessment of pain using a visual analogue scale, and their
 overall satisfaction with Hilotherm therapy. These measurements will be recorded at:

 Day 0 - 60 minutes post-op after patient has worn Hilotherm cooling mask Day 3 Day 10 Day 24

 The person analysing the 3D images will be blinded to the side of the intervention.

 All patients undergoing wisdom tooth removal on both sides, of similar surgical difficulty,
 to be carried out under a General Anaesthetic of the Daycase Unit of One Hospital will be
 eligible. Both extractions will be carried out by the same surgeon. Participants who undergo
 complications during or after the procedure will be excluded from our study. Extractions
 which end up being too dissimilar will also be excluded, and patients unsuitable for use of
 the Hilotherm mask (for example allergies) will also not be considered. Any patients with
 immune system affecting diseases, and patients who suffer allergic reactions to
 pharmaceutical agents will also not be considered.

 No other elements of treatment will be changed from normal protocol.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  any patients requiring bilateral lower third molars extracted of similar technical
 difficulty under general anaesthesia

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  any intra-operative complications

 -  any post-operative complications, including infection

 -  if the extractions end up being too dissimilar surgically

 -  any contra-indication to the Hilotherm mask

 -  patients with any immune system-affecting diseases

 -  patients with allergies to pharmaceutical drugs (eg. analgesics or antibiotics)