Postoperative pain control by single doses of piroxicam administered sublingually and aspirin

The objective of this study is to evaluate and compare the analgesic efficacy of Piroxicam Fast Dissolving Dosage Formulation (FDDF) administered sublingually either preoperatively or postoperatively with that of aspirin and placebo. Hundred patients, undergoing surgical removal of mandibular third molars were given sublingually either piroxicam FDDF 40 mg or placebo or aspirin 500 mg according to a double blind experimental model. Pain scores and pain relief was recorded hourly for six hours following the operation. Rescue analgesics used during the trial and overall assessment of the drug were recorded at the end of six hours. Scores were evaluated statistically by student t test. Piroxicam FDDF was significantly (p < 0.05) more effective than aspirin and placebo for all variables, and less rescue analgesics were required in patients receiving piroxicam preoperatively. It was concluded that single doses of piroxicam FDDF administered sublingually either preoperatively or postoperatively appeared to be effective analgesic for the control of pain after third molar surgery with no side effects.