RISK-FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ACUTE DENTAL PAIN IN CHILDREN

The purpose of this study was to relate several variables (age, sex, r ace, number of extractions performed, dental arch, tooth position,, mo bility, root length, osseous resporptive defects, soft tissue inflamma tion, and history of preexisting pain) to the prevalence of parental r eport of pain in their children between forty-eight hours before (pree xisting pain) and seven hours after extraction of their primary teeth (postextraction pain). Sixty-two children, ages two to 10 years, were studied. The results indicated that there was no relationship between preexisting pain and the report of postextraction pain. There was a tr end for females, primary molars, and presence of osseous resporptive d efects to be associated with preexisting dental pain. Root length (com plete root formation) and presence of adjacent soft issue inflammation were statistically significant for preexisting pain. Chronologic age was the only variable studied that was associated with postextraction pain in these children. Although the existence of pain is difficult to assess in children, the results of this study may be useful in a clin ician's decision-making process as to the need for prescribed analgesi cs following extraction of primary teeth.