THE EFFECT OF TRAMADOL ON DENTOALVEOLAR SURGICAL PAIN

The aim of the study was to assess the analgesic effect of tramadol in the relief of pain after dentoalveolar operations that involve the re moval of bone and suturing, Four-hundred and fifty-two patients over t he age of 18 years who were to undergo removal of impacted teeth (n = 362), removal of root (n = 79), or alveolectomy, enucleation of cysts, or removal of soft tissue (n = 11) under local anesthesia were studie d, Patients were randomly allocated to receive tramadol 100 mg or 50 m g four times daily, or 50 mg twice daily, or placebo, Median pain scor es on the day of operation in the three tramadol groups were similar ( 2 in each group, ranges 1-5, 1-4.8, and 1-5 respectively) and were all significantly lower than that in the placebo group (2.3 range 1-4.2), The median number of Paracetamol tablets taken by patients in the thr ee tramadol groups was 2 (ranges 0-8, 0-12 and 0-8 respectively), and were all significantly less than in the placebo group (4, range 0-12), More patients given tramadol reported complete pain relief than the p lacebo group. The advantages of tramadol continued over the next 2 day s. There were no serious or unexpected adverse effects. It is conclude d that tramadol is an effective analgesic after dentoalveolar operatio ns.