Method: University of Warwick Bio-Medical Research Ethics committee approved the study and various parameters. A randomized sample of 100 dental implant surgeons was requested to fill a confidential online questionnaire regarding analgesic prescription and the drug regime preferred during implant therapy. The questionnaire was uploaded to Smart-Survey website and an e-invite was sent. Informed consent was obtained prior to filling the questionnaire, and questions were asked in various formats to gather prescription preferences. All this data was then collected and analysed with descriptive statistics.
Result: Of the 35 respondents 90% prescribed analgesics for augmentation procedures and single implant delayed protocol surgeries. Almost all surgeons used a different post-operative regime for pain control. For simple standard single implant surgeries 35 participants reported 29 different drug regimens of Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Mefenamic Acid, Paracetamol and Naproxen. A single Ibuprofen 800mg preoperative and Ibuprofen 400mg 3-times-a-day for 5 days postoperative was the most common. The most popular rationale for drug prescribing was to reduce inflammation and not obtain analgesia.
Conclusion: Although the 35% response rate may indicate statistically insignificant results, it was clear that a range of drugs is available for clinicians to choose from, and a huge variation in prescribing exists. With 29 different drug regimens reported, it is clear that clinicians may not always be appropriate in prescribing analgesia. This small pilot study found that clinicians desire more anti-inflammatory effect from the medications prescribed. It calls for further standardization and large-scale research into appropriateness of analgesic usage during implant and related surgery.