title: Comparative study of the effect of a tube drain in impacted lower third molar surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postoperative variables such as pain, swelling, and trismus after surgery of the impacted lower third molars are the main concerns of dental clinicians and surgeons. Many authors claim that the use of a drain could help control these variables. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the use of a tube drain in impacted lower third molar surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three patients of both genders with bilateral impacted lower third molars comprised our comparative study. The patients were divided into 2 groups: in the first the suture procedure was accomplished using a drain, and in the second the suture procedure was accomplished without a drain. The postoperative pain, swelling, and trismus were evaluated at 24 hours, 72 hours, 7 days, and 15 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the group in which the drain was used, the control of the swelling variable was statistically significant at 24 and 72 hours (P <.001) in comparison with the group in which the drain was not used. However, pain and trismus were not statistically significant at the evaluation period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the drain helps to control swelling. However, it had no effect on pain or trismus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dental School of Caruaru, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Roberto Ferreira
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Cerqueira
authors.forename: Belmiro Cavalcanti do Egito
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Ricardo Viana
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Bessa-Nogueira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004487:Edema / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000601:surgery*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000601:surgery*; D014313:Trismus / Q000517:prevention & control