Comparison of Different Kinesio Taping Techniques After Third Molar Surgery

Purpose: Elastic therapeutic taping method has been shown to reduce pain and edema after surgery. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of 2 different Kinesio taping (KT) techniques on swelling, pain, and trismus after third molar surgery. Patients and Methods: The study was designed as a split-mouth, single-blinded, and controlled randomized clinical trial. Patients undergoing lower impacted third molar extraction at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Izmir Katip Celebi University, were included in the present study. Group I included 30 patients and was used to compare the classic KT technique (technique A) and the new KT technique (technique B). Group II included 15 patients and was used to compare the classic KT technique (technique A) and no KT (No-KT [control]). Group III included 15 patients and was used to compare the new KT technique (technique B) and No-KT (control). Swelling was assessed using the 3dMD Face System (3dMD, Atlanta, GA). The maximum interincisal distance was recorded using a digital caliper preoperatively (T0) and at postoperative days 2 (T1) and 7 (T2). The visual analog scale for pain scores were recorded postoperatively at 30 minutes, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 24 hours, and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days. The effects of operative time, patient age, and patient gender were also evaluated. Results: The data from 60 patients (27 men and 33 women) with a mean age of 22.28 years (range, 18 to 31 years) were analyzed in the present study. The amount of swelling and the interincisal distance were less with technique B than with technique A and no KT (control group). Conclusions: KT is a useful method for reducing postoperative morbidity after impacted third molar extraction. In particular, the application of KT using the new technique described in the present study could be more effective than the classic methods. (C) 2020 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons