This study aims to determine whether giving a single dose of dexamethasone before surgery can reduce pain and difficulty in opening the mouth after removal of an impacted lower wisdom tooth. Pain and limited mouth opening are common problems after this procedure and can affect eating, speaking, and daily activities.
A total of 268 patients aged 18 to 55 years who require surgical removal of an impacted mandibular third molar will be included. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive a 4 mg dexamethasone injection under the gum before surgery, while the other group will not receive this medication. All patients will undergo the same surgical procedure and receive standard postoperative care.
Pain will be measured using a visual analogue scale, and mouth opening will be assessed using a standard measuring method. These outcomes will be recorded on the second and seventh days after surgery.
The results of this study will help determine whether preoperative dexamethasone is an effective and simple method to reduce postoperative discomfort and improve recovery after third molar surgery.
Adults aged 18 to 55 years
Patients requiring surgical extraction of impacted mandibular third molars
Patients willing to provide informed consent
Patients with systemic diseases
Patients with periodontal disease
Pregnant or lactating women
Patients who have used antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs within the past 7 days