Dentistry & Oral Health

Post-operative pain is the most common complication following any surgical procedure. Commonly performed minor oral surgical procedures like surgical removal of impacted third molars are associated with considerable amount of postoperative pain as incision & subsequent inflammatory response cause central sensitization and increased conduction of nociceptive impulses to central nervous system which not only increases the pain but also causes non painful stimuli to be perceived as pain. NMDA receptors play a role in this increased central sensitization. Pre-emptive analgesia is a treatment that is initiated before the surgical procedure in order to reduce this sensitization. Hence, we have undertaken a prospective study to evaluate the preemptive analgesic effects of Dextromethorphan, an NMDA receptor antagonist in reducing the postoperative pain following surgical removal of bilaterally impacted mandibular third molars.