Comparison of the analgesic effects of diflunisal and paracetamol in the treatment of postoperative dental pain.

The search for new effective analgesics without unwanted effects on the coagulation mechanism and a longer duration of activity has been intensified. One such development is diflunisal and the aim of this study was to compare the analgesic effect of diflunisal with that of paracetamol. A combined single dose (500-mg tablets), double-blind, randomized, controlled design in out-patients (n = 104) with moderate or severe pain caused by the surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars was used in this study. Pain intensity and relief were assessed postoperatively for 8h using category-rating scales. The results showed a statistically significant difference in favour of diflunisal in each and every parameter used in determining the efficacy of the treatment.