Multicenter clinical trial of ibuprofen and acetaminophen in the treatment of postoperative dental pain.

Pharmacological management of pain for acute and chronic conditions has been guided by a scientific understanding of peripheral and central acting mechanisms for the control of inflammation as well as pain. Oral surgery pain is a reliable model to reference the effectiveness of commonly used analgesics such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen. A total of 706 patients who were experiencing moderate to severe pain received a single dose of ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or placebo. After 6 hours, the degree of pain relief and tolerance was assessed. Ibuprofen has important implications for postoperative pain in clinical practice.