New Brunswick, N.J.-based Rutgers School of Dental Medicine was awarded $11.7 million from the National Institutes of Health to research the effects of combining ibuprofen and acetaminophen as an alternative to opioids, Patch reports.
Patients are often prescribed synthetic opioids, such as Vicodin, after dental surgery. However, synthetic opioids carry a high risk of addiction, so Rutgers researchers want to see if prescribing Advil or Tylenol can manage pain just as effectively.
The study will last six years and involve 1,800 patients. After a molar extraction, half of patients will be given a compound of acetaminophen and Vicodin, while others will be given acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Patients will track their pain levels for seven days post-surgery. Researchers will also follow subjects future opioid use to see if receiving opioids increases the chances of substance abuse over time.
Dentists prescribe drugs more than many other medical practitioners, making dental clinics ideal for opioid research, Dean Cecile A. Feldman, DDS, principal investigator and study lead told Patch.
Pilot studies at Rutgers found that patients receiving ibuprofen and acetaminophen reported fewer side effects than those receiving opioids, with comparable levels of pain reduction.
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Patients are often prescribed synthetic opioids, such as Vicodin, after dental surgery. However, synthetic opioids carry a high risk of addiction, so Rutgers researchers want to see if prescribing Advil or Tylenol can manage pain just as effectively.
The study will last six years and involve 1,800 patients. After a molar extraction, half of patients will be given a compound of acetaminophen and Vicodin, while others will be given acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Patients will track their pain levels for seven days post-surgery. Researchers will also follow subjects future opioid use to see if receiving opioids increases the chances of substance abuse over time.
Dentists prescribe drugs more than many other medical practitioners, making dental clinics ideal for opioid research, Dean Cecile A. Feldman, DDS, principal investigator and study lead told Patch.
Pilot studies at Rutgers found that patients receiving ibuprofen and acetaminophen reported fewer side effects than those receiving opioids, with comparable levels of pain reduction.
More articles on dental:
9 dentists making headlines
Electrical error causes $450K in fire damages at Maryland dental practice
Align teams up with Zimmer Biomet