Treatment of chronic pain in dentistry using anticonvulsants

This study aimed to review the literature regarding the use of anticonvulsants in the treatment of chronic pain, the most used drugs, the efficacy of each one of them, the pros and cons of their use and the pathologies associated with chronic pain. Orofacial pains are considered complex and multifactorial and often do not respond well to treatment with common analgesics. The carbamazepine is used since the 60s, but their prolonged use can alter liver function. Phenytoin when consumed by more than three months cause gingival enlargement and clonazepam reduces patient symptomatology up to70%. Therefore, in order to improve the quality of life of patients suffering with chronic pain, the anticonvulsant drugs were introduced to the pharmaceutical market. As this problem is extremely subjective and individual, there must be scientific evidence to correctly perform the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.RESUMO A dor é caracterizada como uma experiência sensorial e emocional, de forma desagradável e pessoal. Geralmente está associada a um dano tissular real, podendo ser causada pelo envolvimento de agentes químicos e físicos ou também por aspectos subjetivos e psicológicos. Esta pesquisa objetivou revisa r a literatura a respeito do uso dos anticonvulsivantes no tratamento da dor crônica, os fármacos mais utilizados, a eficácia de cada um deles, os prós e os contras do uso desses medicamentos e as patologias associadas à dor crônica. As dores orofaciais são con...
Source: RGO - Revista Gaucha de Odontologia - Category: Dentistry Source Type: research