Pre-emptive analgesia efficacy of piroxicam versus tramadol in oral surgery.

Background: This double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted to evaluate the pre-emptive analgesia and anti-inflammatory efficacy of piroxicam compared with tramadol in patients undergoing oral surgery.

Methods: Seventy-eight patients who required extraction of impacted mandibular third molars were randomized into three treatment groups of 26 patients each: group I received 100 mg of tramadol, group II received 20 mg of piroxicam, and group III received a placebo. Drugs were administered intramuscularly 30 min prior to the extraction procedure.