Effect of a topical-oxygen-releasing-gel on osseous-augmentation following socket preservation in a male smoker with type-2 diabetes mellitus: A Case Report

Background: Socket preservation (SP) with bone grafting is often used to maintain alveolar ridge dimensions following tooth extraction. However, healing in compromised patients, such as tobacco smokers and patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), is compromised. Oxygen-releasing hydrogels have emerged as potential adjuncts to enhance osseous healing by improving angiogenesis and osteogenesis. Objective: This case report presents six-month follow-up clinical results of SP using an oxygen-releasing hydrogel dressing in a male smoker with type 2 DM. Case presentation: A 51-year-old male habitual cigarette-smoker with a history of type-2 DM presented for the replacement of a grossly carious left maxillary second premolar. Following atraumatic extraction, the socket was irrigated with an oxygen-enriched solution and treated with a topical oxygen-releasing gel before bone grafting with a corticocancellous allograft mixed with the gel. The site was sutured with resorbable sutures, and the healing process was monitored at two weeks and six months. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were conducted to assess bone regeneration before implant placement. Healing was uneventful, and at the six-month follow-up, a bone-level dental implant was successfully placed with adequate primary stability. Conclusions: The application of a topical oxygen-rich gel during SP appears to facilitate osseous healing; however, further power-adjusted, long-term RCTs and histologic investigations are needed to confirm this relationship.