Efficacy of Celecoxib and Diclofenac Sodium in the Management of Postoperative Pain, Swelling and Mouth Opening after Surgical Removal of Impacted Third Molars: A Split-mouth Randomised Clinical Study

Abstract

Introduction: The surgical removal of mandibular third molars is generally followed by complaints of pain, trismus, and swelling. The duration of surgery and the reflection of a mucoperiosteal flap have been shown to affect the intensity and frequency of postoperative complaints. Pain from third molar surgery typically begins within one to three hours after surgery and ranges in intensity from moderate to severe. Numerous analgesics have been used to minimise pain and discomfort following the surgical removal of impacted third molars. Commonly used agents include ibuprofen, diclofenac sodium, paracetamol, or their combinations. Newer drugs, such as selective COX inhibitors, have not been extensively used for minor oral surgical procedures. Aim: To compare the clinical efficacy of celecoxib and diclofenac sodium on pain, swelling, and mouth opening after the surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars. Materials and Methods: A split-mouth randomised controlled clinical trial was conducted in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at BharatiVidyapeeth DU Dental College and Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India. The study duration was six months, from August 2022 to January 2023. A total of 21 subjects (11 males and 10 females) who required surgical extraction of an impacted mandibular third molar were selected. All subjects were randomly allocated to receive one of the following treatments twice a day for five days after surgery: celecoxib 200 mg (n=11) or diclofenac sodium 75 mg (n=10). Pain scores were evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) on postoperative day one, two, and three. Swelling and mouth opening were evaluated on Postoperative Day (POD) two and seven. Intergroup comparison was done using Student’s t-test. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 28±1.5 years, and the mean VAS score for pain evaluation with celecoxib was 6.61, 5.38, and 5.00 on day 1 (p=0.027), 2 (p=0.972), and 3 (p=0.809), respectively. The difference in swelling values for the celecoxib group was significant, while there were no significant differences in the values of mouth opening. Conclusion: It was concluded that celecoxib 200 mg is a better analgesic and anti-inflammatory compared to diclofenac sodium 75 mg. Celecoxib was easily tolerable and comfortable for the patients. There was no significant difference in the values of mouth opening.