Comparison of single-dose ibuprofen lysine, acetylsalicylic acid, and placebo for moderate-to-severe postoperative dental pain.

In a single-dose, double-blind, parallel-group, single-site study, ibuprofen lysine 200 mg (IBL 200) was compared with acetylsalicylic acid 500 mg (ASA 500) and placebo in 183 patients with moderate-to-severe postoperative dental pain. The relative onset of analgesic response, duration and degree of analgesia, and safety were assessed over a 6-hour postdose period. Analgesic efficacy was assessed by patient self-rating of pain intensity, pain relief, time to meaningful pain relief, global evaluation, and requirement for additional analgesic medication; both IBL 200 and ASA 500 were significantly more effective than placebo. IBL 200 also had a significantly faster onset of action, greater peak and overall analgesic effect, and longer duration of analgesia than ASA 500. All treatments were generally well tolerated.