Does tramadol have a place in the dental armamentarium? An atypical opioid in dental practice from the pharmacological perspective – Part I. General tramadol administration

Pain is common in dental practice. It is not only a reason for patients seeking dental treatment, but it can also accompany performed procedures and often occurs after them. The management of acute pain consists of causative treatment and pharmacotherapy, with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) being the drugs of choice in routine dental practice. These agents, however, may not be potent enough in cases with, pain of greater intensity. This paper focuses on tramadol, an atypical opioid, which is the most popular analgesic of this type in the world and can be considered a valuable option for the management of moderate to severe pain in dentistry and oral surgery. The characteristics of the agent were described, as well as its singular mechanism of action and biotransformation. Adverse effects that can occur during tramadol pharmacotherapy were discussed together with interactions significant in clinical practice. The available tramadol formulations were presented, with particular attention to the drug combinations examined in pain management in a dental setting.