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Assessment of celecoxib vs. loxoprofen for postoperative dental pain

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Created On: 20/02/2026

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Key take away

Celecoxib provides pain relief equivalent to loxoprofen after third mandibular molar extraction while delaying the need for a second analgesic dose.

Background

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are routinely prescribed for postoperative pain control, but their suppression of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) can compromise the upper gastrointestinal mucosa and heighten the chances of adverse effects. In contrast, selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors are linked with a lower incidence of gastrointestinal injury. This parallel-group comparative study determined the analgesic efficacy and safety of celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, versus loxoprofen sodium for pain management following third mandibular molar (wisdom tooth) extraction.

Method

A total of 209 patients were included, with 107 patients treated with celecoxib and 102 patients treated with loxoprofen. Postoperative pain intensity was assessed via visual analog scale (VAS) at 15 and 30 minutes.

Result

Postoperative pain intensity exhibited a progressive reduction in both groups, with no vital difference between treatments. Fewer patients required additional dosing with celecoxib, and the interval before a second dose was longer when compared with loxoprofen. Patient-reported overall efficacy remained comparable between the two treatments (Table 1).

Conclusion

Celecoxib provided equivalent clinical effectiveness to loxoprofen sodium for acute postoperative dental pain, while offering the potential advantage of reduced gastrointestinal risk, making it a valuable option for post-extraction pain control after wisdom tooth surgery.