Analgesic drugs in dentistry: a narrative review

Abstract

Pre- and post-operative pain are among the most difficult problems to manage in dental practice. There are various factors that could influence these conditions: from the patient’s susceptibility to the clinical practice performed. However, an adequate management of both allows to considerably improve the patient’s compliance and, at the same time, the satisfaction of the latter. All articles and reviews considered in this brief review, were searched on the online platform of scientific reading sites such as PubMed and Medline, selecting the most current ones, up to January 2022. Considering the keywords “Analgesic drugs”, “dentistry” AND “dental pain”, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), prospective studies, observational studies, reviews, and retrospective studies were considered. The aim of this narrative review is to describe the several therapeutic techniques allowed to reduction of pre- and post-operative pain during clinical dental practice, so as to be able to outline in a linear and concise way some brief clinical guidelines that can be easily consulted.