Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs better than opioids for pain after dental extractions

An interesting article titled “Acute Postoperative Pain Due to Dental Extraction in the Adult Population: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis,” written by A. Miroshnychenko and et. al appears in the 2023 edition of the Journal of Dental Research. The article seeks to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess tto compare the effectiveness of 10 different pharmacological treatments including acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and opioids, to the management of acute pain after dental tooth extractions. Further the article looked at the pain associated with pulpitis or its complications. The authors were motived to conduct the review based on the opioid crisis occuring in North America which has been discussed before on this site, see for example the posts Assessing the Impact of Three Day Opioids Limits for Dentists, Dentists Overprescribing Opioids to Adults in the U.S., and Reducing … Read more