Effects of pre-operative submucosal dexamethasone injection on the postoperative swelling and trismus following surgical extraction of mandibular third molar.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of pre-operative submucosal dexamethasone injection on postoperative swelling and trismus following surgical extraction of mandibular third molar. STUDY DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry (AFID), Rawalpindi, from October 2009 to March 2010. METHODOLOGY A total of 100 patients aged 18 - 40 years with good periodontal health and mesioangular impaction were divided in two treatment groups (50 in each group). Group-A received prophylactic 4 mg submucosal dexamethasone intraoral injection and Group-B acted as control group. Facial swelling and trismus were assessed at baseline, 2nd and 7th postoperative days. Data was analyzed using SPSS-10. RESULTS There were 35 (70%) males and 15 (30%) females in group-A and 34 (68%) males and 16 (32%) females in group-B. Surgical time ranged from 30 - 50 minutes (mean = 40.62 ± 4.886 minutes) for group-A and 33 - 50 minutes (mean = 42.12 ± 4.543 minutes) for group-B. Administration of dexamethasone had statistically significant effect in reduction of swelling and trismus on second postoperative day (p < 0.05) in group-A. CONCLUSION Pre-operative 4 mg submucosal dexamethasone injection was significantly effective in reduction of postoperative swelling and trismus.