Efficacy nimesulide versus dexamethasone following extraction impacted lower third molar

Method: For this study, 30 volunteers, aged between 18 and 26 years-old, exhibiting impacted bilateral lower third molars in similar position and extraction recommended, were submitted to surgical removal of the teeth. Two surgical sessions, at least 21 days apart from each other were conducted. For one extraction, the volunteer received a placebo pill an hour before the surgical procedure; ten minutes after the end of the surgery and every 12 hours thereafter, for 3 days, one 100 mg pill of the anti-inflammatory nimesulide was given. For the other surgery, the volunteer received an oral dose of 8mg of dexamethasone, one hour before the surgery; 10 minutes after the surgery, and every 12 hours for the next 3 days, a placebo pill was administered. All volunteers were authorized to take analgesics, sodium dipyrone 500 mg four times daily, only in case of pain, while taking notes of the time and day when they took the medicine. Data was collected during pre-surgical period, and the 24 and 48 post-surgical hours to measure edema, and 72 and 168 hours for trismus. The pain was evaluated by Numerical Eleven Point Box Scale (BS-11). The presence of trismus and edema was respectively analyzed by the measurements of the inter-incisal distance, and by the lower part of the auricle lobe-pogonion distance.

Result: Showed that both pharmacologic protocols are effective in extraction of impacted lower third molars.

Conclusion: Pain, trismus and swelling was similar in both treatment groups.