Off-label use of medications refers to the practice of prescribing a drug for a condition or in a manner not included in the drug's approved labeling. Off-label use is common in medicine, with an estimated 20-30% of all prescriptions written for off-label uses.
There are several reasons why a dentist might choose to use a medication off-label. In some cases, there may be no FDA-approved medication for a particular condition. In other cases, an off-label use may be more effective or have fewer side effects than the approved uses.