Preoperative nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the success of inferior alveolar nerve block in irreversible pulpitis

Abstract

Introduction: The inflammatory conditions of pulp often lead to pain which is managed by adequate anesthesia. Achieving optimum anesthethic effect in such conditions is difficult; therefore, various supplemental techniques have been used to enhance the effect. Premedication is one such technique vastly studied. This study aimed to critically analyze the systematic reviews, including their respective meta-analyses, to summarize the data regarding the role of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on the success of inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) in patients with irreversible pulpitis. Materials and Methods: The protocol was formulated using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist, and the formulated PICO question was “Is there any effect of oral premedication with NSAIDs on the anesthetic success of IANB in irreversible pulpitis?” The reviews were analyzed using a measurement tool to assess systematic reviews (AMSTAR). Results: Twelve reviews were selected, out of which three were finally included for detailed analysis and their AMSTAR scores were 'high.' Individual meta-analyses results pointed toward the anesthetic success of IANB with NSAIDs as oral premedication. Conclusion: The current overview justifies the use of NSAIDs by highlighting the supporting and conflicting data of each systematic review.