Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of several routes for corticosteroid (methylprednisolone) administration in management of postoperative complications following impacted mandibular third molar surgery.
Materials and methods: Forty individuals with impacted mandibular third molars were divided and allocated randomly into 4 equal groups. Group 1 (Intraosseous-Osseous Injection “IOI"), Group 2 (submucosal injection “SMI"), Group 3 (Tablet “TAB"), and Group 4 (negative control “NC"). The clinical parameters that were assessed postoperatively are pain, trismus and facial swelling.
Results: At day 1, the mean pain intensity was 3.2± 1.14, 4.1±0.99, 4.9±1.66 and 4.7±1.34 within the 4 groups respectively (p= 0.038). By day 3, pain decrease was statistically significant in group 1. Finally, by day 7, there was no statistically significant difference among all groups. At day 1, the NC group has the highest increase of facial swelling (p < 0.001). By day 3, the first two groups showed the highest decrease (p=0.444). Finally, by day 7, the better result was among group 1 and 2. One day post-operatively, there was a significant decrease in mouth opening in all the groups (p <0.001). By day 3 and 7, there was a statistically significant difference concerning the mouth opening between the IOI and NC groups.
Conclusion:
Following mandibular third molar surgery, both IO and SM injections showed nearly the same effects on post-surgical pain, facial swelling, and trismus. These results suggest that the SMI approach may still be the technically easier option.