Effect of thermosetting gel with doxycycline hyclate 3% on postoperative discomfort after third molar surgery : a prospective study

The study evaluated the effect of intra-alveolar administration of a thermosetting gel containing doxycyclyne hylcate 3% on patient discomfort after third molar surgery. Eighty-five consecutive patients requiring surgical removal of a single maxillary or mandibular impacted third molar were randomly selected and divided into 2 groups. After the onset of local anaesthesia, the experimental groups received 2 different antibiotic protocols: rifampicin for the first group and a thermosetting gel containing doxycyclyne hylcate 3% for the second group. Standardized surgical protocols were followed. The patients’ perception of the severity of symptoms (pain, swelling, reddening, bleeding and body temperature) was assessed with a follow-up questionnaire (PoSSe scale). On the second postoperative day, pain, reddening and bleeding showed a statistically significant reduction in Group 2 compared with Group 1. There was no difference between the two groups when postoperative swelling was evaluated on the second day. From the third day, conversely, swelling decreased faster in Group 2 than in Group 1. Our data demonstrate that the use of the thermosetting gel containing doxycyclyne hylcate 3%, given as an intra-alveolar injection at the end of surgery, is effective in the prevention of postoperative symptoms after third molar extraction.