Patients in this arm received common postoperative prescriptions following removal of their impacted third molars for seven days; twice a day 500 mg amoxicillin+125 mg clavulanic acid, twice a day 25 mg dexketoprofen trometamol and three times a day 1.5 mg/ml clorhexidine gluconate+1.2 mg/ml benzydamine hydrochloride containing 200 ml mouthwash.

Patients in this arm were administered 8mg/2ml dexamethasone 21-phosphate preoperatively after local anesthesia were obtained. Injection site was the depth of buccal sulcus near operation site. For the patients in this arm 25 mg dexketoprofen trometamol was excluded from postoperative prescription in order not to affect the anti-inflammatory effects of corticosteroid. Instead of NSAID, three times a day 500 mg paracetamol was prescribed. The patients were advised not to exceed maximal dosage of 3000 mg (6 tablets) in a day.

In this arm the therapeutic elastic bandage applications were immediately performed after removal of mandibular third molars. The distance between tragus-lateral commissura line and supraclavicular lymph nodes was measured and the tapes were then cut into 5 tails. The base of the tape was placed on supraclavicular lymph nodes and tails were placed on the site to cover parotid, submandibular, submental and superficial cervical lymph nodes. The tapes were removed on postoperative second day.

Patients were instructed to record the number of drugs they used until the second and seventh postoperative days.

The patients were asked to mark their pain intensities on a Numerical Rating Scale in which '0' means no pain, '5' means moderate pain and '10' means worst imaginable pain on the day of surgery preoperatively.

All patients' maximal mouth opening were measured and recorded as the distance between upper and lower right central incisors.

Measurements were performed on the ipsilateral site between tragus and lateral commissura, lateral canthus and angle of mandible with a flexible ruler. The obtained values' average amounts were calculated and recorded for each patient.

The patients were asked to record the amounts of consumed analgesic tablets (tablets per day) until first follow up visit.

The patients were asked to mark their pain intensities on a Numerical Rating Scale in which '0' means no pain, '5' means moderate pain and '10' means worst imaginable pain.

The patients were asked to mark their pain intensities on a Numerical Rating Scale in which '0' means no pain, '5' means moderate pain and '10' means worst imaginable pain.

Extraction wound healing rates were evaluated by Landry's healing index. The index scores were classified as; 1. Very poor, 2. Poor, 3. Good, 4. Very Good and 5. Excellent.