Effect of Submucosal 4 mg Dexamethasone Injection on Postoperative Complications Following Oral Surgical Procedures: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Surgical trauma initiates a complex inflammatory cascade characterized by the release of arachidonic acid metabolites, increased vascular permeability, leukocyte migration, and edema formation, ultimately resulting in postoperative pain, facial swelling, and trismus. These complications may compromise oral function, delay recovery, reduce patient satisfaction, and increase postoperative analgesic requirements. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a single 4 mg submucosal injection of dexamethasone in reducing postoperative pain, facial swelling, trismus, and analgesic consumption while enhancing wound healing. Patients were clinically evaluated preoperatively and on postoperative days 2, 5, and 7. Outcome measures included pain intensity using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Statistical analyses were performed using appropriate parametric and non-parametric tests, with statistical significance established at p < 0.05. Patients treated with submucosal dexamethasone demonstrated significantly improved postoperative outcomes compared with the control group. Current pain scores were significantly lower on postoperative Days 2, 5, and 7 (p = 0.001 for all comparisons). Postoperative facial swelling was significantly reduced in the dexamethasone group at all evaluation intervals (p = 0.003 on Day 2 and p < 0.001 on Days 5 and 7). These findings support the routine use of submucosal dexamethasone as a simple, safe, and minimally invasive approach for enhancing postoperative recovery in oral and maxillofacial surgery.