Purpose: The aim of the current study was to compare the efficacy of dexamethasone injection submucosally, intra-masseteric and intramuscular in surgical removal of mandibular third molars on post-operative swelling, mouth opening and pain.
Patients and Methods: forty five patients with impacted mandibular third molars were selected to undergo surgical removal of mandibular third molars. Patients were randomly divided into three groups of fifteen each. Group I, taking sub-mucosal dexamethasone injection, Group II, taking Intra-masseteric dexamethasone injection and Group III, taking intramuscular dexamethasone injection, all patients were injected pre-operatively Assessment of swelling, mouth opening, and pain was done at intervals of 1st, 3rd, and 7th post-operative days.
Results: our study showed no statistically significant difference between mean MMO as well as VAS in Group I and II; both showed statistically significant higher mean MMO and VAS than Group III. Significant reduction in pain and swelling in both sub-mucosal, intra-masseteric and intra-muscular but a greater immediate effect on trismus was seen in sub-mucosal and intra-masseteric routes
Conclusion: It can be concluded that pre-operative dexamethasone injection is an effective pharmacological agent to reduce post-surgical third molar removal sequelae such as pain, swelling and trismus.