ASSESSMENT OF POSTOPERATIVE PAIN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN MINOR ORAL SURGERIES: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Postoperative pain, even after minor oral surgical procedures, can significantly affect patient recovery, satisfaction, and adherence to care. While pain control strategies are well established for major surgeries, real-world practices and patient-reported outcomes in minor oral surgeries remain underexplored, particularly in developing countries like Pakistan. Objective: To analyze current pain control strategies employed by dental professionals following minor oral surgeries and assess associated patient-reported pain intensity, satisfaction, and adherence. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over eight months at three tertiary care dental hospitals in Pakistan. A total of 400 adult patients who underwent minor oral surgical procedures were included. Data on prescribed analgesics were collected from dental professionals, while patient-reported outcomes were obtained using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, a Likert scale for satisfaction, and adherence tracking. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including ANOVA and chi-square tests, were applied using SPSS version 26. Results: Paracetamol (40%) and NSAIDs (37.5%) were the most commonly prescribed analgesics, with 17.5% receiving opioid-NSAID combinations. Mean VAS scores varied by analgesic type, being lowest in the opioid-NSAID group (2.9 ± 1.4) and highest in patients who received no analgesics (6.1 ± 2.0). Patient satisfaction was high overall, with 72.5% reporting satisfaction or high satisfaction. Full adherence to prescribed regimens was noted in 70% of cases, correlating with higher satisfaction and lower pain scores. Conclusion: The study underscores the need for standardized, patient-centered pain management protocols in minor oral surgeries, promoting both clinical effectiveness and patient satisfaction.