Intraosseous and submucosal dexamethasone injection in mandibular third molar surgery

Confounding factors in the efficacy of intraosseous and submucosal dexamethasone injection in mandibular third molar surgery: I read with great interest the article by Kaewkumnert et al.1 in a recent issue of the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. The authors performed a randomized trial of 27 patients undergoing third molar extractions who received an intraosseous injection of dexamethasone 4mg to one side of the mandible and a submucosal injection to the other side. They concluded that both techniques of dexamethasone injection were effective in controlling pain and swelling after mandibular third molar surgery, but that the submucosal injection was superior for the control of trismus. (Source: International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)