Pre- and post-operative management of dental implant placement. Part 1: management of post-operative pain

Key Points Provides dental practitioners with an overview of the mechanisms of post-operative pain following dental implant placement. Discusses the benefits and limitations of commonly employed pain medications for the control of post-operative dental implant pain. Provides practical recommendations for the prescription of pain medications post-dental implant placement. Although dental implant placements have high success rates and a low incidence of morbidity, post-operative pain and complications with the healing process have been reported. There is little guidance available regarding optimal pre- and post-operative management of dental implant placement. This first paper discusses the mechanisms of pain associated with dental implant placement and offers guidance to clinicians on optimal pre- and post-operative pain management regimes. The second paper aims to discuss pre- and post-operative means of reducing the risk of early healing complications.