The Effect of Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate on Surgical Third Molar Extraction using Pain, Trismus, Oedema, and Quality of Life as Parameters: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Introduction: Lower third molar extractions are a common surgical procedure that can lead to post-operative complications such as trismus, discomfort, and swelling. One of the several corticosteroids frequently used to treat these issues is dexamethasone. This study aimed to assess the effects of submucosal and intramuscular injections of dexamethasone sodium phosphate on postoperative outcomes after surgical lower third molar extraction. Materials and Methods: A total of 90 people were randomly allocated to one of three groups: submucosal dexamethasone (8 mg/2ml), intramuscular dexamethasone (8 mg/2ml), and a control group. Participants were evaluated for mouth opening, pain (Visual Analog Scale), oedema, and oral health-related quality of life (OHIP-14 Arabic) on the day of surgery and the third and seventh post-operative days. Results: In comparison to the control group, the intramuscular dexamethasone groups showed noticeably improved results in terms of mouth opening, pain thresholds, and oedema measurements. On the seventh post-operative day, the intramuscular dexamethasone group demonstrated higher gains in mouth opening and reduced pain scores and oedema measurements. Conclusion: Regardless of the method, administering dexamethasone effectively lowers post-operative problems after the lower third molar extraction, but an overall decrease in oral health and quality of life was observed. Submucosal delivery of dexamethasone can be a good alternative, even though intramuscular delivery may be somewhat more effective in some cases. These data support the use of dexamethasone as an effective adjuvant therapy in oral and maxillofacial surgery.