Are Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Prescribing Fewer Opioids and More Non-narcotic Analgesics for Postoperative Pain after Third Molar Removal?

The opioid epidemic in the US today is well-documented in the academic literature and lay press. In response, national and local efforts have increased awareness of the opioid epidemic, which may have decreased opioid exposure, especially among adolescents and young adults. Despite these efforts, some data suggest dentists are prescribing more opioids over time1. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons have been specifically identified as responsible for prescribing a large proportion of opioids to an at-risk population of adolescents and young adults following third molar (M3) operations, leading to inflammatory headlines such as “Wisdom Teeth Extractions Can Lead to Opioid Addiction in Adolescents and Young Adults”2.
Source: Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery - Category: ENT & OMF Authors: Source Type: research