Comparison of the efficacy of ibuprofen and acetaminophen in controlling pain after orthodontic tooth movement.

Introduction: Some patients undergoing orthodontic treatment report enough discomfort to affect their compliance or request treatment termination. The purpose of this preliminary study was to test the effectiveness of ibuprofen vs acetaminophen in controlling discomfort after initial orthodontic appliance and archwire placement.

Methods: A total of 60 patients (ages, 12-18 years) undergoing fixed comprehensive orthodontic treatment were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 experimental groups: 600 mg of acetaminophen, 400 mg of ibuprofen, or a placebo. All subjects were instructed to take the medications orally at prescribed times after initial appliance and archwire placement. Each patient's level of discomfort was assessed with a 100-mm visual analog scale immediately after placement; at 3, 7, 19, 24, 31, and 48 hours; and at 3, 4, and 7 days.

Results: The results indicated that the peak level of pain was at 19 hours after placement, and the differences in scores among the 3 groups were not statistically significant.

Conclusions: Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and placebo are equally effective in reducing discomfort after initial orthodontic appliance placement.