Pharmacological Strategies for Surgical Pain Management in Oral and Maxillofacial Procedures: Safety and Clinical Outcomes

Oral and maxillofacial surgery, Postoperative pain, Multimodal analgesia, Non-opioid analgesics, Opioids, Local anesthetics, Pain management

Dr. Avinash Sonune1*
Assistant Professor , Government Medical
College Washim, Department Of Dentistry,
Maharashtra University Of Health Sceinces
Nashik, Washim, 444505, India. Email ID:
avinashsonune01@gmail.com
ORCID ID: 0009-0008-0689-3715

Dr S Nachiappan2
Professor and HOD, Department of Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgery, Sathyabama Dental
College and Hospital, Chennai - 119, Email ID
- nachibds@yahoo.com
ORCID ID - 0000-0002-6036-3001

Lasya Marupudi3
Pharma. D intern, Department of Pharmacy
Practice, Sri Venkateshwara College of
Pharmacy; Osmania University.
Email ID: lasyamarupudi@gmail.com
ORCID ID: 0009-0000-8616-6869

Dr. Pratik Bhatnagar4
Associate Professor, Government Dental
College and Hospital, Jamnagar, Saurashtra
University, Gujarat. Email ID:
bhatnagarpratik99@gmail.com
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-1739-1645

Dr Rajat Mohanty5
Professor, Department of Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgery, Kalinga Institute of
Dental Sciences, KIIT Deemed to be
University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Email ID: rajatmohanty007@gmail.com
ORCID ID: 0009-0000-9050-0129

Address for correspondence:

Dr. Avinash
Sonune, Assistant Professor , Government
Medical College Washim, Department Of
Dentistry, Maharashtra University Of Health
Sceinces Nashik, Washim, 444505, India.
Email ID: avinashsonune01@gmail.com
ORCID ID: 0009-0008-0689-3715

Received:16-06-2026
Revised: 22-07-2026
Accepted: 28-07-2026

European Journal of Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry (2026) 34(7s), 465–476

Pharmacological Strategies for Surgical Pain Management in Oral and Maxillofacial Procedures: Safety and Clinical Outcomes

Background: Surgical pain following oral and maxillofacial procedures is a common and clinically significant outcome resulting from tissue injury, inflammation, and neural sensitization, with implications for recovery, function, and patient satisfaction. Objective: To evaluate current pharmacological strategies for managing surgical pain in oral and maxillofacial procedures, with emphasis on safety profiles and clinical outcomes. Methods: A narrative review of contemporary literature was conducted, focusing on pharmacological interventions including non-opioid analgesics, opioids, local anesthetics, corticosteroids, and emerging agents, along with multimodal analgesic approaches and their impact on postoperative outcomes. Results: Non-opioid analgesics, particularly NSAIDs and paracetamol, demonstrated consistent efficacy as first-line agents for postoperative dental pain. Multimodal analgesia combining agents with different mechanisms provided superior pain control and reduced opioid requirements. Opioid use was associated with significant adverse effects and is increasingly limited to selected cases. Adjunctive therapies such as corticosteroids and long-acting local anesthetics contributed to improved outcomes. Emerging agents, including selective sodium channel inhibitors, showed potential for effective opioid-sparing analgesia. Safety considerations varied across drug classes, with gastrointestinal, renal, and central nervous system effects being concerns. Conclusion: Pharmacological pain management in oral and maxillofacial surgery has evolved toward multimodal, opioid-sparing strategies that enhance efficacy and safety. Individualized treatment planning based on patient and procedural factors is essential for optimizing clinical outcomes.

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