Tenoxicam controls pain without altering orthodontic movement of maxillary canines

To study the efficacy of tenoxicam for pain control, its potential for preemptive analgesia, and its influence on the orthodontic movement of upper canine teeth.

This was a randomized controlled double-blind cross-over study. The patients were divided into three groups. Two groups received tenoxicam in daily doses of 20 mg orally for 3 days. Group A received the first dose of the drug before orthodontic activation and group B, just afterwards. Group C (control) received a placebo for 3 days. All groups had access to 750 mg of paracetamol up to four times a day. Three orthodontic activations were performed at 30-day intervals. Each patient belonged to two different groups. Pain intensity was assessed using a descriptive Pain Scale and a Visual Analog Scale.

Private clinic; 36 patients undergoing bilateral canine tooth retraction.

The statistical analysis did not show any difference in movement between the active groups and the control at any time. There was no statistical difference between the groups that received tenoxicam. Pain intensity in these groups was lower than in the placebo group. The difference in pain intensity between the active groups and the control was greatest at the assessment made 12 h after activation and it tended to zero, 72 h after activation.

Tenoxicam did not influence orthodontic movement of the upper canines. It was effective for pain control and did not present any preemptive analgesic effect.