Preventative analgesia: managing pain before its treatment
Most of the pharmacological approaches to treat dental pain are based in post-operative protocols and follow-up observations. However, nowadays a different alternative is considered by giving analgesic adjuvants before the clinical intervention, under the philosophy of preventive analgesia. The aim of this approach is to minimize sensitization induced by noxious perioperatory stimuli, and to offer important clinical benefits such as better anesthetic blockade, less consumption of analgesic drugs and finally the improvement of patient satisfaction. This lecture will summarize the biological basis of preventive analgesia, the possible options and the available evidence.

Learning Objectives