NON-OPIOID OPTIONS FOR ORAL SURGERY PATIENTS

Preparing for Oral Surgery?
Important Facts to Know, Especially When it Comes to Managing Pain

Oral Surgeons Embracing Non-Opioid Options
Educating Patients on Pain Management Choices During Surgery and Post-Surgery

Opioid use in the U.S. is rampant despite the fact that these medications can be misused, abused and have significant side effects. Unfortunately, during the spring and summer months, even more opioids will be prescribed as thousands of high school graduates and college students plan to visit an oral surgeon for procedures, including wisdom tooth removal.
A new national survey of parents and patients conducted by Nielsen found:
❖ An overwhelming majority of patients (70%) who had their wisdom teeth removed were prescribed an opioid for their pain management
❖ 7 in 10 patients would have opted for a non-opioid medication if given the choice
❖ 80% would select a non-opioid option even if the cost was higher

These insights convey patient demands for non-opioid medications and the need for oral surgeons to discuss these options with patients.
In this interview, Dr. B.D. Tiner, a Board-Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who uses non-opioid medications for patients undergoing wisdom teeth extraction and other oral surgeries discusses why it’s important for patients and caregivers to explore non-opioid pain management options with their surgeon prior to their procedure, and how this effort can help curb the opioid epidemic that is killing 91 Americans each day, according to the CDC.