Transdermal Patches for Pain Relief in Orthodontic Procedures: A Narrative Review

Pain relief is an integral component of any orthodontic procedure given its high association with patient compliance and treatment adherence. A transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) is a non-invasive method of drug delivery through the skin surface that can spread the medication throughout the dermis at a predetermined rate to produce a local or systemic effect. It might be used in place of hypodermic injections and the oral medication route. A transdermal analgesic, often known as a pain reliever patch, is an adhesive patch that contains medication to treat mild-to-severe pain. Many opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are currently available as patches. TDDS offers many benefits over the conventional medication delivery method. The non-invasive transdermal route or therapy has features such as excellent bioavailability, stable medication plasma concentration, and no first-pass metabolism effect. This review aims to explore the available evidence on the use of transdermal patches for pain relief in orthodontic procedures and possibly suggest recommendations based on the findings.