Effect of preoperative tramadol, ibuprofen, ibuprofen/acetaminophen on the anaesthetic efficacy of inferior alveolar nerve block in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis

The purpose of this double-blind clinical trial was to compare the effect of preoperative tramadol 50 mg, tramadol 100 mg, ibuprofen 600 mg, ibuprofen 600 mg/acetaminophen 1000 mg or placebo 60 min before the administration of inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANB) of mandibular teeth in patients experiencing symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP). Two hundred and fifty emergency patients diagnosed with SIP were randomly divided into five groups and received medications. Endodontic access was begun 15 min after completion of the IANB, and all patients had profound lip numbness. The Heft-Parker visual analogue scale was used to evaluate pain. Premedication with tramadol 100 mg significantly increased the success rate to 62% than the other groups (p < 0.05). The success rates of ibuprofen, ibuprofen/acetaminophen and tramadol 50 mg groups were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Premedication with tramadol 100 mg enhanced the anaesthetic success of IANB in mandibular molars with SIP.