Measuring pain after oral surgery

摘要

Aim: To describe the measurement of pain after oral surgery. Materials and methods: A review of the literature describing the scales used to rate pain intensity, pain assessment by questionnaire, assessment of pain in children and older adults, the third molar pain model and factors affecting the pain experience in the context of managing pain after oral surgery. Results: The most frequently used single-rating scales are the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), the Verbal Rating Scale (VRS), the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Faces Pain Scale. The surgical removal of a lower third molar with bone removal is associated with severe post-operative pain and the procedure is used as a model for investigation of analgesic efficacy. Conclusions: If pain is not assessed, then it is unlikely that it will be properly treated. The scales to measure pain intensity such as the NRS that can be used readily in the hospital, clinic or over the phone when the patient has been discharged home.