The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of single antiplatelet treatment on delayed bleeding, in patients undergoing dental extraction. A total of 154 teeth were extracted in 94 patients with ongoing antiplatelet treatment, who were taking single antiplatelet of either aspirin or clopidogrel. All patients underwent simple dental extraction; local hemostasis was performed with gauze-biting, suturing, and/or application of a local hemostatic agent. Delayed bleeding was recorded in 5 teeth out of a total of 154 teeth after extraction, the incidence of postoperative delayed bleeding being 3.2%. The bleeding was controlled by the patients themselves, through application of pressure with additional gauze-biting. No one visited the doctor or emergency room for hemostasis. These results confirmed that patients taking single antiplatelet drugs may have teeth extracted safely without interruption of the antiplatelet treatment.

• Jae Jin Kim(Department of Dentistry, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University)
• Hak Kyun Kim(Department of Dentistry, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University) Correspondence