Preoperative 15 mg of melatonin for surgical discomfort, pain, edema and trismus in mandibular third molar surgery: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a single preoperative 15 mg sublingual dose of melatonin in reducing surgical discomfort, pain, edema, and trismus following mandibular third molar extraction.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted with 46 patients allocated to receive melatonin (n = 22) or placebo (n = 24) 45 min before surgery. The primary outcomes were intraoperative pain and discomfort and postoperative pain. Secondary outcomes included patient-perceived edema (VAS-Edema, days 1-5), trismus (5-point scale, days 1-5; interincisal measurement, day 7), and rescue medication consumption.

RESULTS

No statistically significant differences were observed between the melatonin and placebo groups for any outcome. Intraoperative discomfort (QCirDental total score, p = 0.54) and pain (VAS, p = 0.67) were comparable. Similarly, postoperative pain levels across all time points (p = 0.67), edema over five days (p = 0.26), and trismus based on self-assessment (all days p > 0.50) and clinical measurement (p = 0.79) did not differ.

CONCLUSION

Within the limitations of this clinical trial, a single 15 mg preoperative dose of sublingual melatonin was not superior to placebo in alleviating surgical discomfort, pain, edema, or trismus after third molar extraction.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clinically, these findings suggest that melatonin may have limited effectiveness in managing common complications in oral surgery.