Painless dental extraction in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Anesthesiology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Post-operative pain management is crucial following dental extractions in children.
• Current analgesia options like rectal paracetamol have limitations.
• Effective pain control can improve patient recovery and reduce the need for further interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of topical lignocaine versus rectal paracetamol in preventing pain after pediatric day-case dental extractions.
• To evaluate the impact on recovery time and side effects.
• To determine the optimal analgesic approach for this patient group.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 60 children undergoing dental extractions under general anesthesia.
• Three groups received intraoperative topical lignocaine (4 mg/kg), rectal paracetamol (10 mg/kg), or no analgesia.
• Postoperative pain, appearance, and side effects were assessed at 15, 30, and 60 minutes.

Main Results:

• Topical lignocaine significantly reduced pain scores at 15 and 30 minutes post-extraction (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively).
• Patients receiving topical lignocaine showed a significantly faster return to a calm appearance (p < 0.01).
• No significant differences in nausea, vomiting, or other adverse effects were observed between groups.

Conclusions:

• Topical lignocaine provides superior analgesia and a shorter recovery period compared to rectal paracetamol for pediatric dental extractions.
• Topical lignocaine is a more satisfactory option for preventing post-operative pain in children undergoing these procedures.
• This study highlights the benefits of targeted topical anesthesia for pain management in pediatric dentistry.