Gabapentin As A Non-Opioid Alternative

A recent study from the Eastman Institute for Oral Health shows promising usage of a combination of non-opioid pain medication and adding Gabapentinas an effective method to minimize or eliminate opioids for acute dental pain.

The first group of 3,300 patients that had extractions were treated with ibuprofen or acetaminophen if they had mild pain. For those with moderate to severe pain following extractions, they were prescribed combinations of ibuprofen and opioids including hydrocodone, oxycodone, or codeine.

The second group of nearly 3,800 patients who had extractions received no opioids. For moderate to severe pain, they were prescribed a gabapentin combination. The results revealed promising effectiveness with the gabapentin combination.

“Although the American Dental Association recommends nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for managing pain, leading researcher Yanfang Ren DDS, PhD said, “dentists frequently prescribe opioids for dental pain and contribute substantially to new and persistent opioid use. This may partly be explained by the lack of alternatives to opioids, especially when the ibuprofen or acetaminophen are ineffective or can’t be tolerated.”

Additional randomized controlled clinical trials are being conducted at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health in Rochester, New York.