EFFICACY OF INTRA-MASSETERIC AND SUBMUCOSAL DEXAMETHASONE INJECTION IN SURGICAL EXTRACTION OF IMPACTED LOWER THIRD MOLAR.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the efficacy of intra-masseteric and submucosal dexamethasone injection to minimize the postoperative discomfort after the surgical extraction of impacted lower third molar. Study Design: Cross sectional study (Comparative). Setting: Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Institute of Dentistry, Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences Jamshoro / Hyderabad. Period: January 2017 to June 2017. Subjects and Methods: All surgical extractions were done under local anaesthesia by giving conventional inferior alveolar nerve block. An envelope mucoperiosteal flap was raised to expose the third molar. Then tooth was extracted. After the removal of tooth any sharp bone was smoothened by bone filer and the socket was washed and sutured. The severity of pain was recorded by using Visual Analogue Scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain) described as mild, moderate or severe. Degree of swelling was measured by facial size through Amin and laskin criteria which was measured in millimeters. Mouth opening was measured by interincisal distance through ruler (35-45mm normal value). Results: From sixty four patients it was observed that the minimum age was 28.03+6.12 years. There were 35 male patients and 29 female patients. When Chi square test was applied, there was a significant association found between Groups (A and B). By using independent sample t-test, it was observed that there was a significant association found in both groups concerning facial swelling (Facial size in mm) having p-value 0.00. When the independent t-test was applied on the data, there was a significant association found in Group A and B regarding mouth opening (in mm) having p-value 0.001. Conclusions: Dexamethasone has a good efficacy for reducing the postoperative symptoms including severe pain, facial swelling and trismus after the surgical extraction of impacted lower third molar. The better outcomes perceived when it was administered submucosally.