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Acute Pain Management

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Evidence-Based Oral Surgery

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Abstract

Dentists are frequently called upon to provide short-term acute pain management. Traditional over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and similar drugs are generally effective. Yet the prescription of opioid medications has steadily grown, with dentists now prescribing 12% of the initial opioid prescriptions written in the United States.

As the use of opioids has grown, the country has experienced a growing epidemic of opioid-related deaths, due primarily to respiratory depression. Recent studies indicate that a small percentage of patients who begin opioid medication for legitimate reasons continue their use of these drugs long term. A national effort is aimed at decreasing opioid prescriptions.

Multimodal analgesia using local anesthetics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications is very effective, both in relief of pain as well as elimination of need for opioids.

“For me, there still remains the cocaine-bottle.”

Sherlock Holmes in—The Sign of the Four

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA

    Joseph F. Piecuch

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  1. Joseph F. Piecuch
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Correspondence to Joseph F. Piecuch .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Beau Visage Med Spa, Greater Waterbury OMS, Cheshire, CT, USA

    Elie M. Ferneini

  2. Division of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA

    Michael T. Goupil

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Piecuch, J.F. (2019). Acute Pain Management. In: Ferneini, E., Goupil, M. (eds) Evidence-Based Oral Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91361-2_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91361-2_12

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-91361-2

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