Original articleAnalgesic and adjuvant anesthetic effect of submucosal tramadol after mandibular third molar surgery

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess analgesic and adjuvant anesthetic effects of submucosal tramadol after third molar extraction.Study DesignIn this double-blind, split-mouth, placebo-controlled, single-dose, crossover investigation, 52 patients underwent mandibular third molar extraction under local anesthesia. Surgical side was randomly assigned to submucosal 2 mL 100 mg tramadol injection (group T) or normal saline solution (group P) immediately after surgery. Anesthetic blockade duration, time of intake and amount of analgesic rescue drug, and postoperative pain intensity were recorded immediately after anesthesia cessation and 4, 8, 24, 48, and 72 hours after surgery. Data were submitted to analysis of variance and Wilcoxon tests.ResultsAnesthetic blockade duration between groups was similar. Group T took significantly less rescue drug after 72 hours (P = .008). Time elapsed before first intake of rescue drug was longer (P = .006), and pain intensity was significantly lower (P = .001) in group T.ConclusionsSubmucosal tramadol injection after oral surgery improved postoperative analgesia, but did not extend anesthetic action duration.