THE EFFECT OF LOCALLY APPLIED GAUZE DRAIN IMPREGNATED WITH CHLORTETRACYCLINE OINTMENT IN MANDIBULAR 3RD-MOLAR SURGERY

A prospective randomized crossover, within-patient, controlled study w as performed in 26 healthy patients to test the effect of the prophyla ctic local use of gauze drain impregnated with chlortetracycline (Aure omycin 3%(R), Lederle) ointment on postoperative alveolitis formation after surgical removal of 52 bilaterally impacted mandibular third mol ars. The teeth were removed on two separate occasions; on one side dra in was inserted in the socket, and on the other side no drain treatmen t was used for control. The influence on postoperative pain, swelling, and mouth opening ability was investigated. The results indicated a s tatistically significant reduction (P = 0.02) in the incidence of post operative inflammatory complications, defined as postoperative alveoli tis, from 35% in the no-drain group to 4% in the drain group. No stati stically significant difference was found between the two treatment me thods with regard to pain and mouth opening reduction. There was a sig nificant difference between the drain and no-drain treatment with rega rd to swelling on the Ist postoperative day in favor of the no-drain m ethod. It is concluded that insertion of a chlortetracycline-impregnat ed drain may be an effective method for reducing postoperative alveoli tis formation but has no beneficial effect on pain, swelling, and mout h opening reduction after impacted mandibular third-molar surgery.