Objectives: We aimed to compare the effects of preoperative single-dose submucosal corticosteroid injection and postoperative elastic therapeutic bandage application with postoperative non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug therapy on postoperative inflammatory symptoms and quality of life following mandibular third molar surgeries.
Materials and methods: A single-center, randomized, clinical trial was conducted with 52 patients (36 female, 16 male) who expected severe postoperative sequelae as a result of the extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. The patients were randomized into three groups. In the preoperative submucosal corticosteroid injection group (n = 16), 8 mg/2 ml dexamethasone 21-phosphate was administered near operated sites. In the postoperative therapeutic elastic bandage application group (n = 19), Kinesio tapes were applied to operated sites. Paracetamol 500 mg was prescribed for the patients in the corticosteroid and elastic bandage application groups. In the postoperative non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug group (n = 17), 25 mg dexketoprofen trometamol was prescribed. Maximal mouth opening, swelling, pain, and Oral Health Impaction Profile scores were quantified preoperatively and postoperatively on the second and seventh days. Additionally, all patients were asked to evaluate the postoperative period by the Postoperative Symptom Severity Scale.
Results: Analysis of the obtained data revealed that on the second postoperative day, postoperative edema and trismus were significantly lower in the submucosal corticosteroid (p = 0.025, p = 0.03) and therapeutic elastic bandage (p = 0.032, p = 0.014) groups, and the patients in these groups had a more comfortable postoperative period than the group prescribed a postoperative non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (p = 0.016).
Clinical relevance: In oral surgery, postoperative elastic bandage application can provide results similar to those of preoperative submucosal corticosteroid injection with respect to inflammatory symptoms and quality of life.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04200885. Date of Registration: December 2019 (retrospectively registered).
Keywords: Applied kinesiology; Dexamethasone; Edema; Impacted tooth; Postoperative pain; Trismus.