Analgesics in modern dental practice: the evolution of pain relief

This study systematically analyzed the current approaches to analgesic therapy in dental practice based on scientific publications of the last decade. This study examined the main groups of analgesic medications used in dentistry, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioid analgesics, local anesthetics, and their combinations. Particular attention is paid to the mechanisms of action of various classes of medications, their efficacy, and safety profiles when used in various patient categories. The current trends in multimodal analgesia and personalized pain relief approaches tailored to individual patient characteristics, age groups, and comorbidities are analyzed. Innovative drug delivery technologies, including nanosomal formulations, extended-release systems, and transdermal systems, are considered. Data on the use of artificial intelligence and digital technologies to optimize analgesic therapy are presented. A systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, and 42 sources selected from 1,247 initially identified publications in international databases were analyzed. The results of this study demonstrate the evolution of approaches to dental pain relief from universal protocols to personalized medicine. This study demonstrated the importance of combining different analgesic groups to achieve an optimal balance of efficacy and safety. Promising areas for developing analgesic therapy related to the integration of advances in molecular biology, nanotechnology, and digital technologies into dental clinical practice are identified.

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