We are pleased to announce that we are offering Exparel for non-opioid pain relief after oral surgical procedures such as wisdom teeth extractions. We are one of only a handful of dental offices across Connecticut publicly offering this solution. Dr. Nick Calcaterra personally administers Exparel himself in our Orange, CT office.
What is Exparel?
Exparel is a medication used to provide long lasting pain relief after invasive surgical procedures such as wisdom teeth removal with IV sedation. It is a liquid medication that comes in vials. Dr. Calcaterra administers the medication directly into the surgical sites immediately upon completion of the procedure. Once administered, Exparel acts as a long lasting numbing agent, providing pain relief for up to 4 days.
A box of Exparel medication that Dr. Nick Calcaterra administers after wisdom teeth surgery in our office in Orange, CT
When used along with traditional pain medications such as high dose Motrin (a.k.a. ibuprofen), our patients need reduced amounts of opioids, or in many cases do not need opioids at all.
Why Exparel?
Vicodin – called hydrocodone – is typically prescribed after oral surgery
As you are likely aware, the use of opioids (a.k.a. narcotics such as Vicodin and Percocet) in the United States has created a crisis. There are many factors behind the crisis, but the end result for certain users of opioids is addiction, disability, and sometimes even death.
There is a wealth of research which shows that for many patients – typically older teenagers and young adults – their first exposure to opioids is after third molar extractions. Generally speaking, research has shown that those individuals who received narcotic prescriptions for wisdom teeth were more likely to develop addiction problems later on in life.
Given the risks associated with opioids and the crisis, Exparel was developed. Exparel has been proven in clinical studies to reduce the need for opioids following wisdom teeth removal.
Are Opioids Still Necessary for Wisdom Teeth Extractions?
Sometimes (in our opinion and experience).
Pain affects people differently. Wisdom teeth cases vary significantly in their surgical complexity and invasiveness. Our patients’ medical histories, age, and other factors also impact how much pain they will experience and what type of medications they will require afterwards.
Dr. Nick Calcaterra with Exparel he is about to administer after a wisdom teeth removal case in Orange, CT
Given the dynamic and unpredictable nature of post-surgical pain, we will re-phrase the question:
Do we still prescribe opioids after tough surgical cases? Sometimes
But we feel comfortable stating the following:
Based on our own use of Exparel on patients requiring wisdom teeth extractions, we’ve witnessed firsthand a reduction and sometimes elimination of the need for opioids.
Can Exparel Help?
The short answer is: probably.
Talk to your dentist or oral surgeon. See if they offer Exparel. See what their experiences have been. Use the internet. Learn more on our Exparel page. Read about Exparel on Reddit.
Do you need your wisdom teeth out and want Exparel to reduce the pain afterwards? Are you looking to avoid opioids after oral surgery? Do you need IV sedation? Then you’ve come to the right place. Call us at (203) 799 – 2929 or visit this page to request an appointment.
