Comparison of the analgesic efficacy of preoperative/postoperative oral dexketoprofen trometamol in third molar surgery: A randomized clinical trial

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of preoperative and postoperative dexketoprofen trometamol for pain control after third molar surgery. Sixty subjects indicated for impacted mandibular third molar surgery were randomly assigned to two groups: preoperative (group 1, n = 30) and postoperative (group 2, n = 30) administration. Group 1 received 25 mg of dexketoprofen trometamol 30 min before surgery and 1 placebo capsule (same color and size with active drug) immediately after surgery. Group 2 received the placebo capsule 30 min before surgery and 25 mg of dexketoprofen trometamol immediately after surgery. Pain intensity was assessed using a numeric rating scale (NRS) during the first 8 h. The time of the need for a second dose of dexketoprofen trometamol, after the first administration, was recorded. The data were analyzed using mixed-model repeated-measures (MMRM), Wilcoxon rank-sum, and Kaplan–Meier analysis. After the 8 h period, no statistically significant difference was observed in the intensity of pain (MMRM, p = 0.41); and no significant difference in the time for a second dose (p = 0.956). In conclusion, preoperative administration of dexketoprofen trometamol is a reasonable clinical approach that is as effective as conventional postoperative pharmacological treatment, with the advantage of allowing early analgesia before pain develops. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02380001).