Do blood concentrates influence inflammatory signs and symptoms after mandibular third molar surgery? A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate, through a network meta-analysis, the effectiveness of blood concentrates in reducing pain perception, trismus, and edema after mandibular third molar extraction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic search was performed in nine databases to locate randomized clinical trials comparing blood concentrate use after mandibular third molar extraction. Two authors selected and extracted the data independently. The individual risk of bias in the studies was assessed with the RoB v2.0 tool. A network meta-analysis compared postoperative pain and trismus scores after applying different blood concentrates, using the mean difference (MD) as an effect estimate. The GRADE approach assessed the certainty of evidence. RESULTS: Thirty-one randomized clinical trials were included in the review and 18 in the meta-analysis. Leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) was the most used blood concentrate, followed by platelet-rich plasma (PRP). The network meta-analysis, depending on the analyzed period, evaluated up to 1240 surgeries. Among the analyzed blood concentrates, advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF) performed better among the analyzed blood concentrates, decreasing postoperative pain in 1, 2, 3, and 7 days and reducing trismus up to the inflammatory peak compared to blood clots. Only two studies had a low risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: Based on very low certainty of evidence, using concentrates seemed efficient compared to blood clots in reducing pain and trismus after mandibular third molar surgeries. A-PRF decreased postoperative pain throughout the evaluated time and trismus during the acute inflammatory peak. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A-PRF after mandibular third molar extractions performed better among the analyzed blood concentrates and seemed efficient in improving postoperative quality by decreasing inflammatory signs and symptoms.

Use of Photobiomodulation to Reduce Postoperative Pain, Edema, and Trismus After Third Molar Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: Third molar extraction can cause surgical trauma, which is associated with pain, edema, trismus, and functional limitations. The aim of the present systematic review was to investigate the effects of photobiomodulation (PBM) following the extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. METHODS: An electronic search was conducted in 10 databases from inception up to October 2021 and the grey literature, with no restrictions regarding language or year of publication. Randomized controlled clinical trials (RCT) were included. Studies that were not RCTs were excluded. Reviewers independently analyzed titles and abstracts, followed by full-text analysis. This systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The exposure variable was the use of PBM and the outcomes were pain, edema, and trismus. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model. The estimate was calculated considering standardized mean differences (SMD) and respective 95% confidence intervals (CI) obtained for each outcome on the first, second, third and seventh postoperative days. The level of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: The search resulted in the 3,324 records. Thirty-three RCTs were included in the systematic review and 23 of these were included in the meta-analyses. The studies involved a total of 1,347 participants (56.6% female and 43.4% male) between 16 and 44 years of age. A greater reduction in pain was found in the PBM group compared to the control group on the third postoperative day (SMD: -1.09; 95% CI: -1.63; -0.55; P < .001; low certainty). Edema was discretely lower in the PBM group on the second postoperative day (SMD: -0.61; 95% CI: -1.09; -0.13; P < .001; low certainty) and trismus was discretely lower in the PBM group on the seventh postoperative day (SMD: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.00; 0.96; P < .001; very low certainty). CONCLUSION: The evidence of the effect of PBM regarding the control of pain, edema, and trismus following third molar extractions is low or very low.

Is coadministration of preemptive medications an effective strategy for reducing inflammatory clinical events and the need for rescue medication after mandibular third molar surgery? A systematic review of randomized clinical trials.

This study aimed to evaluate the scientific evidence on the effect of preemptive drug coadministration (PDC) for relieving inflammatory events (pain, swelling, and trismus) in mandibular third molar surgery. A PROSPERO-registered systematic review (CRD42022314546) was conducted according to the PRISMA guide. The searches were carried out in six primary databases and the gray literature. Studies not written in languages with the Latin alphabet (Roman) were excluded. Potential randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were screened for eligibility. Cochrane's Risk of Bias-2.0 (RoB) tool was assessed. A synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) based on a vote counting and an effect direction plot. Nine studies (low RoB) fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included for data analysis, with a total of 484 patients. PDC mostly involved corticosteroids (Cort) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). PDC of Cort and other drugs mainly reduced pain scores (6 and 12 h postoperatively) and swelling (48 h postoperatively). PDC of NSAIDs and other drugs mainly reduced pain scores at 6, 8, and 24 h follow-up; swelling and trismus intensity ameliorated at 48 h postoperatively. The most frequently prescribed rescue medication was paracetamol, dipyrone, and paracetamol plus codeine. Results from individual studies have shown reduced consumption of ingested rescue analgesics. In summary, the available evidence from clinical trials included in this SWiM suggests that PDC may provide benefits in reducing the severity of inflammatory outcomes related to mandibular third molar surgery, especially the pain scores in the first hours after surgery, and the rescue analgesic consumption during the postoperative period.

Pericoronitis treatment with antimicrobial photodynamic therapy using a new formula of methylene blue: A case report.

Pericoronitis is a common disease that impacts the quality of life of individuals during the eruption of the third molars. Among the main clinical signs and symptoms reported were the presence of gingival operculum, pain, difficulty swallowing, and trismus with functional impairment. The present study shows a case report of pericoronitis treated with antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT), using a new oral formulation (INPI BR 1020170253902) of methylene blue. A female patient, 27 years old, presenting initial pericoronitis, had her pain, mouth opening, and swelling evaluated. She was submitted to a protocol of irrigation with sterile saline and photodynamic therapy using the new MB at 0.005% concentration and irradiation with low-intensity laser λ = 660 nm, 9 J per point, and radiant exposure of 318 J/cm2. The variables were evaluated on 4th day after aPDT. There was a 100% improvement in pain and an increase of 1,3 cm in mouth opening. There was no difference in the edema before and after aPDT using the new MB formula. Although the results are based on a single case report, suggest the hypothesis that aPDT using the new MB formula is an efficient therapy in the treatment of pain and trismus caused by the early stage of pericoronitis. Well-conducted randomized clinical trials are needed to compare this new formulation with conventional aPDT for further generalization of results.

CYP450 polymorphisms and clinical pharmacogenetics of ibuprofen after lower third molar extraction.

PURPOSE: This study hypothesized that drugs accumulate in the bloodstream of poor-metabolizing patients and may have more adverse effects and different pain perceptions and aimed to investigate the influence of CYP450 polymorphisms on acute postoperative pain, swelling, and trismus controlled by ibuprofen (600 mg) in 200 volunteers after dental extraction. In addition, surgical outcomes can determine pain, edema, and trismus and indicate inflammatory reactions after oral surgeries. METHODS: Genetic sequencing was performed to identify CYP450 polymorphisms and the surgical parameters evaluated: pre and postoperative swelling, trismus, and temperature; self-reported postoperative pain with visual analog scale (VAS); rescue medication consumed; and severity of adverse reactions. RESULTS: A multiple linear regression model with independent variables [single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), BMI (body mass index), duration, and difficulty of surgery] and dependent variables [postoperative pain by sum of pain intensity difference (SPID), trismus, and swelling] was used for analysis. The duration of surgery was a predictor for pain at 8 h and 96 h after surgery, and BMI was a predictor for both swelling and trismus on the 2nd postoperative day. When evaluating CYP2C8 and C9 genotyped SNPs, it was observed that normal metabolizers showed higher pain levels than the intermediate/poor metabolizers on the postoperative periods as compared with time 0 h. In another analysis, the poor metabolizers for CYP2C8 and C9 presented lower levels of postoperative pain after 8 h and used rescue medication earlier than normal metabolizers. CONCLUSION: Ibuprofen 600 mg was very effective in controlling inflammatory pain after lower third molar surgeries, without relevant adverse reactions; although in a very subtle way, patients with poor metabolism had higher levels of pain in the first hours, and no longer after 8 h, and used pain relief medication earlier. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov ID (NCT03169127), on March 16th, 2017.

Is bromelain effective in controlling the inflammatory parameters of pain, edema, and trismus after lower third molar surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the clinical evidences of the bromelain in minimizing inflammatory parameters such as pain, edema, and trismus after lower third molar surgeries. An electronic search was conducted in six databases through November 2017. The eligibility criteria included randomized and non-randomized clinical trials and/or comparative studies that used bromelain after lower third molar surgeries. The search strategy resulted in 117 articles. Following the selection process, seven studies were included in the systematic review and four in the meta-analysis. In terms of the risk of bias analysis, all the evaluated studies were classified as low or unclear risk of bias in the following criteria: selection bias, detection bias, and reporting bias. The final quantitative analysis of the variables showed that the use of bromelain resulted in greater reduction of pain levels (mean difference [MD]: -0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI; -0.66 to -0.09]), edema (MD: -0.34; 95% CI [ -0.68 to -0.01]), and trismus (MD: -2.01; 95% CI [ -3.99 to -0.02]) among the analyzed groups. The results suggest that the bromelain appears to be effective in the control of pain, edema, and trismus after lower third molar surgeries; however, further high-quality studies are needed to confirm this finding.

Efficacy of corticosteroids versus placebo in impacted third molar surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

The aim of this systematic review was to identify randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of corticosteroids in the control of pain, oedema, and trismus following third molar surgery, and to analyse the effects of the type of drug administered and the time and route of drug administration on the outcomes of interest. Searches were performed in the PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases. This review was structured according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The search identified 1223 studies. After assessing eligibility based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 17 studies were selected for the qualitative analysis (a total of 730 patients aged 15-45 years). Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis, which was performed using Review Manager software. The corticosteroids were effective in controlling pain (P=0.002; mean difference -17.38, 95% confidence interval -24.81 to -9.95) and trismus (P<0.00001; mean difference 6.10, 95% confidence interval 3.42 to 8.77). With the exception of the submucosal route, the route of administration did not appear to affect the outcomes. The administration of a corticosteroid in the preoperative phase was superior to its use in the postoperative phase for the control of trismus.

Oral dexamethasone decreases postoperative pain, swelling, and trismus more than diclofenac following third molar removal: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the anti-inflammatory potential of two pharmacotherapy protocols based on the parameters of pain, trismus, and swelling, after extraction of third molars. METHODS: Thirty patients selected with symmetrical impaction of third molars were submitted to surgical procedures in both sides in different times. For one group, dexamethasone was used for 3 days, and for another group diclofenac sodium was also used for the same period. The main variables analyzed were the visual analogue pain scale (VAS), but others were also analyzed such as swelling and trismus, which were submitted to statistical analysis. RESULTS: The results had no difference regarding the length of procedures (p = 0.986) and the pain in the immediate and 4-h postoperative period (p = 0.723 and 0.541). The rescue analgesic consumption was higher (p < 0.05) when using the protocol with diclofenac sodium. The variables mouth opening (p < 0.05) and swelling (p < 0.05) were significantly better when using the protocol with dexamethasone in the postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: Medical protocol with the use of dexamethasone in the postoperative period was more effective in controlling pain, trismus, and swelling, after the extraction of third molars, when compared to diclofenac sodium.

Comparative Assessment of the Effect of Ibuprofen and Etodolac on Edema, Trismus, and Pain in Lower Third Molar Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of ibuprofen (IBU) and etodolac (ETO) for controlling pain, edema, and trismus after extraction of lower third molars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty adolescents and adults with 2 impacted mandibular-third molars (in similar positions) were selected for the study. Patients were randomly assigned either to the IBU group (600 mg of IBU 3 times a day for 3 days) or to the ETO group (300 mg of ETO 3 times a day for 3 days). Drugs were administered immediately after dental extraction. RESULTS: During the first 2 days after extraction, swelling was more pronounced in the IBU group than in the ETO group (P = .033). Seven days after surgery, there was no difference in the degree of edema between the groups. At the 2- and 7-day evaluation points, mouth opening was significantly more reduced in the IBU group than in the ETO group (P < .05). After the first 6 hours, the ETO group had more effective pain relief (P < .05), but after this time point, both groups reported similar degrees of relief. Compared with the IBU group, the ETO group had a lower need for administration of additional rescue analgesics. CONCLUSIONS: After extraction of impacted lower third molars, we found that swelling, trismus, and pain were more effectively controlled with ETO than with IBU.

The effect of laser and botulinum toxin in the treatment of myofascial pain and mouth opening: A randomized clinical trial.

This study conducted a randomized clinical trial in 15 patients, who sought care at the Dental Clinic of the University of Passo Fundo, in order to compare the use of low-level laser and botulinum toxin in the treatment of myofascial pain and whether they alter the mouth opening of patients with temporomandibular disorder. The patients were divided into two groups: the Laser group received low-level GaAlAs laser, 100mW of power at a wavelength of 830nm in continuous light emission; and the Toxin group received 30U of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) in the first session, and 15U after fifteen days. The assessments were performed by measuring pain with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and mouth opening with a digital caliper. Data were submitted to Student's t test at 5% significance level. Regarding pain symptoms, the results indicate that groups treated with laser and toxin registered 7U in VAS, at day 5 the scores were 4.75 and 4.86U, respectively. The laser worked faster (day 12) at 2.75U, and the group treated with BTX-A registered 2.86U at day 30. Both therapies investigated were effective in reducing pain, but the effect of low-level laser was faster than the use of BTX-A. Both treatments showed no statistically significant improvement in mouth opening.

Sublingual ketorolac and sublingual piroxicam are equally effective for postoperative pain, trismus, and swelling management in lower third molar removal.

OBJECTIVE: Lower third molar removal provides a clinical model for studying analgesic drugs. The present study's aim was to compare the clinical efficacy of sublingual ketorolac and sublingual piroxicam in managing pain, trismus and swelling after lower third molar extraction in adult volunteers. STUDY DESIGN: In this double-blinded, randomized, crossover investigation, 47 volunteers received for 4 days ketorolac sublingually (10 mg 4 times daily) and piroxicam sublingually (20 mg once daily) during 2 separate appointments after lower third molar extraction of symmetrically positioned lower third molars. A surgeon evaluated objective parameters (surgery duration, mouth opening, rescue analgesic medication, and facial swelling) and volunteers documented subjective parameters (postoperative pain and global evaluation), comparing postoperative results for a total of 7 days after surgery. The means of the objective and subjective parameters were compared for statistical significance (P < .05). RESULTS: Volunteers reported low pain scores during the postoperative period when treated with either sublingual ketorolac or piroxicam. Also, volunteers ingested similar amounts of analgesic rescue medication (paracetamol) when they received either drug sublingually (P > .05). Additionally, values for mouth openings measured just before surgery and immediately after suture removal 7 days later were similar among volunteers (P > .05), and the type of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) used in this study showed no significant differences between swellings on the second or seventh days after surgery (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Pain, trismus, and swelling after lower third molar extraction, independent of surgical difficulty, were successfully controlled by sublingual ketorolac (10 mg 4 times daily) or sublingual piroxicam (20 mg once daily), and no significant differences were observed between the NSAIDs evaluated.

Comparison of oral versus sublingual piroxicam during postoperative pain management after lower third molar extraction.

In this study, 53 patients received piroxicam, administered orally or sublingually, after undergoing removal of symmetrically positioned lower third molars, during two separate appointments. This study used a randomized, blind, cross-over protocol. Objective and subjective parameters were recorded for comparison of postoperative results for 7 days after surgery. Patients treated with oral or sublingual piroxicam reported low postoperative pain scores. The patients who received piroxicam orally took a similar average amount of analgesic rescue medication compared with patients who received piroxicam sublingually (p>0.05). Patients exhibited similar values for mouth opening measured just before surgery and immediately following suture removal 7 days later (p>0.05), and showed no significant differences between routes of piroxicam administration for swelling control during the second or seventh postoperative days (p>0.05). In summary, pain, trismus and swelling after lower third molar extraction, independent of surgical difficulty, could be controlled by piroxicam 20mg administered orally or sublingually and no significant differences were observed between the route of delivery used in this study.

The selective and non-selective cyclooxygenase inhibitors valdecoxib and piroxicam induce the same postoperative analgesia and control of trismus and swelling after lower third molar removal.

We compared the clinical efficacy of orally administered valdecoxib and piroxicam for the prevention of pain, trismus and swelling after removal of horizontally and totally intrabony impacted lower third molars. Twenty-five patients were scheduled to undergo removal of symmetrically positioned lower third molars in two separate appointments. Valdecoxib (40 mg) or piroxicam (20 mg) was administered in a double-blind, randomized and crossed manner for 4 days after the surgical procedures. Objective and subjective parameters were recorded for comparison of postoperative courses. Both agents were effective for postoperative pain relief (N = 19). There was a similar mouth opening at suture removal compared with the preoperative values (86.14 +/- 4.36 and 93.12 +/- 3.70% of the initial measure for valdecoxib and piroxicam, respectively; ANOVA). There was no significant difference regarding the total amount of rescue medication taken by the patients treated with valdecoxib or piroxicam (173.08 +/- 91.21 and 461.54 +/- 199.85 mg, respectively; Wilcoxon test). There were no significant differences concerning the swelling observed on the second postoperative day compared to baseline measures (6.15 +/- 1.84 and 8.46 +/- 2.04 mm for valdecoxib and piroxicam, respectively; ANOVA) or on the seventh postoperative day (1.69 +/- 1.61 and 2.23 +/- 2.09 mm for valdecoxib and piroxicam, respectively; ANOVA). The cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitor valdecoxib is as effective as the non-selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor piroxicam for pain, trismus and swelling control after removal of horizontally and totally intrabony impacted lower third molars.

The selective and non-selective cyclooxygenase inhibitors valdecoxib and piroxicam induce the same postoperative analgesia and control of trismus and swelling after lower third molar removal

We compared the clinical efficacy of orally administered valdecoxib and piroxicam for the prevention of pain, trismus and swelling after removal of horizontally and totally intrabony impacted lower third molars. Twenty-five patients were scheduled to undergo removal of symmetrically positioned lower third molars in two separate appointments. Valdecoxib (40 mg) or piroxicam (20 mg) was administered in a double-blind, randomized and crossed manner for 4 days after the surgical procedures. Objective and subjective parameters were recorded for comparison of postoperative courses. Both agents were effective for postoperative pain relief (N = 19). There was a similar mouth opening at suture removal compared with the preoperative values (86.14 ± 4.36 and 93.12 ± 3.70 percent of the initial measure for valdecoxib and piroxicam, respectively; ANOVA). There was no significant difference regarding the total amount of rescue medication taken by the patients treated with valdecoxib or piroxicam (173.08 ± 91.21 and 461.54 ± 199.85 mg, respectively; Wilcoxon test). There were no significant differences concerning the swelling observed on the second postoperative day compared to baseline measures (6.15 ± 1.84 and 8.46 ± 2.04 mm for valdecoxib and piroxicam, respectively; ANOVA) or on the seventh postoperative day (1.69 ± 1.61 and 2.23 ± 2.09 mm for valdecoxib and piroxicam, respectively; ANOVA). The cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitor valdecoxib is as effective as the non-selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor piroxicam for pain, trismus and swelling control after removal of horizontally and totally intrabony impacted lower third molars.

Estudo clínico comparativo entre duas drogas de açäo antiinflamatória (dexametasona e meloxicam) no controle do edema e trismo após exodontia de terceiros molares inferiores inclusos / Comparative clinical study of two anti-inflammatory drugs (dexametasone and meloxicam) as to their ability of controlling swelling and trismus after extraction of submerged mandibular third molars

Foram selecionados 16 pacientes adultos, com idade variando entre 15 e 27 anos (média de 18,5 anos), sem nenhum comprometimento local ou sistêmico, com indicaçäo de exodontia de terceiros molares inferiores inclusos, bilateralmente e em posiçöes similares. As drogas foram administradas, na primeira ou segunda cirurgia, aleatoriamente, de modo duplo-cego. Fez-se a avaliaçäo do edema, através da variaçäo de pontos de referências faciais, e do trismo, através da variaçäo da distância interincisal. De acordo com os resultados, conclui-se que näo houve diferença significativa na limitaçäo de abertura bucal quando se compararam os tratamentos com meloxicam ou dexametasona. Já em relaçäo ao edema, a dexametasona mostrou uma maior eficácia

Botulinum toxin A for trismus in cephalic tetanus

O tétano cefálico é uma forma localizada de tétano. Da mesma maneira que nas formas generalizadas, o trismo é componente clínico, proeminente, leva a grande dificuldade na alimentaçäo, na deglutiçäo da saliva e para a higiene da boca. Essas dificuldades frequentemente precedem os problemas respiratórios e as pneumonias aspirativas, que se constituem em complicaçöes que ameaçam a vida dos pacientes. Drogas relaxantes musculares de outro tipo que as drogas curarizantes trazem pouco benefício para o trismo. A neurotoxina tetânica (tetanospasmin) e a toxina botulínica compartilham muitas semlhanças, como estrutura química símile, origem de microorganismos relacionados (clostridium tetani e Clostridium botulinum, respectivamente) e, presumivelmente, os mesmos mecanismos de açäo no neurônio. A diferença entre as duas reside na sua peculiar neuroespecificidade, atuando em diferentes neurônios. Injeçäo de doses reduzidas da toxina botulínica em músculos envolvidos em distonias focais ou outras desordens com espasticidade muscular localizada tem se mostrado eficaz em abolir as contraçöes. Descrevemos o uso da toxina botulínica A com sucesso no tratamento do trismo num paciente sofrendo de tétano cefálico. Acreditamos que esta forma de tratamento possa ser de valor no sentido de diminuir o risco de complicaçöes pulmonares nos pacientes com tétano

[Temporomandibular injury: a cause of limited mouth opening]. / Ferimento na região temporomandibular: uma causa de limitação da abertura de boca.

A case of limitation of jaw opening caused by an intentional knife wound to the temporomandibular region is presented. The chief complaint was pain and restricted jaw movement. Treatment consisted of the administration of antiinflammatory agent. Recovery was complete and without complications, normal jaw opening being obtained. The possibility that the inflammatory process stimulates muscular spasm is emphasized.