From the available evidence we cannot determine whether or not preoperative analgesics are of benefit in paediatric dentistry for procedures under local anaesthetic. There is probably a benefit in prescribing preoperative analgesics prior to orthodontic separator placement.
The efficacy of preoperative analgesic administration for postoperative pain management of pediatric dental patients.
Appropriate pain-management strategies for children receiving dental care continue to be poorly delineated. Recent studies have demonstrated the benefit of preoperative analgesic administration upon alteration of the postoperative pain experience in adults. It is the purpose of this study to assess the efficacy of preoperative administration of acetaminophen on the prevalence of postoperative pain-related behaviors and the frequency of postoperative analgesic use in 4- to 10-year-old children following various dental procedures. The results indicate a high prevalence of postoperative pain, independent of the type of dental procedure performed and the preoperative administration of acetaminophen. There is a trend toward reduced postoperative pain in the acetaminophen pretreatment groups. A greater sample size, with more reliable pain-assessment methods, may help to further elucidate the efficacy of preoperative analgesic administration in children. The clinician should be alerted to the potential for pain-related behaviors to occur following routine pediatric dental care.