RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine if the timing of administration of systemic enzyme therapy [SET] has any effect on its efficacy in controlling postoperative sequelae of third molar surgery. STUDY DESIGN: A double blinded prospective randomized control trial was planned. The sample included patients requiring impacted mandibular third molar surgical extraction. Patients were randomly allocated to four groups (50 patients per group). Group A included administration of SET 48 h prior to surgery; Group B, started on the day of surgery; Group C started immediately after surgery and control group D included NSAIDS started 3 h after surgery. The predictor variable was timing of administration of SET. The primary outcome variables were pain and swelling measured on 1st day, 5th day, and 7th day after surgery. FINDINGS: Groups A and D reported lower mean and median VAS scores and lesser swelling than groups C and D on postop day 1. On days 5 and 7, all four groups were comparable. On overall analysis, no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) was evident. INTERPRETATION: The results of the study showed that the differences in swelling and pain with starting the SET 2 days before, on the day of surgery, or immediately after when compared with diclofenac was not statistically significant. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CTRI Registration Number CTRI/2018/03/012502.
