Wisdom tooth surgery showdown: flap vs. flapless – which hurts less?
NCT ID NCT07247929
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares two surgical techniques for removing partially impacted lower wisdom teeth: the traditional flap method (cutting gum tissue) and a flapless method (no gum cut). Researchers will measure pain and facial swelling on the second day after surgery in 160 adults aged 18-45. The goal is to find which approach leads to a smoother recovery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could show that a flapless technique reduces pain and swelling after wisdom tooth removal.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 160 participants. Results may not apply to all patients or tooth positions.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 160 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2024
- Expected to finish
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Apr 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 45 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-45 years * Either gender * Partially impacted mesioangular mandibular third molar confirmed clinically and radiographically * Second episode of pericoronitis * Swelling present on the affected side * No bone recession or periodontal disease on radiograph Exclusion Criteria: * HIV or HBV infection * Diabetes or other metabolic disorders * Bleeding disorders including von Willebrand disease, thalassemia, hemophilia, thrombocytosis, or thrombocytopenia * Periapical infection or acute pericoronitis at time of surgery * Severe trismus * Immunocompromised status
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Watim Medical College&Dental Hospital
RECRUITINGIslamabad, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan
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