Effect of Preoperative Oral Tramadol on Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block in Patients With Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis

Aim: The purpose of this prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled study was to compare the preoperative oral tramadol medication with ibuprofen and acetaminophen on the success of inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANB) of mandibular posterior teeth in patients experiencing symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Methodology: The study included five study groups, each consists of 50 patients who exhibited symptomatic irreversible pulpitis of a mandibular first or second molar. The patients received identically appearing capsules containing either tramadol 50 mg, tramadol 100 mg, ibuprofen 600 mg, ibuprofen 600 mg/acetaminophen 1000 mg or placebo by mouth 60 min before the administration of an IANB. Endodontic access was begun 15 min after completion of the IANB, and all patients used for data analysis had profound lip numbness. The IANB success was defined as no or mild pain (visual analog scale recordings) on pulpal access or instrumentation. The data were analysed using chi-square χ2 and Kruskal-Wallis tests.