title: Comparison of the effects of preemptive acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and meloxicam on pain after separator placement: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aims to evaluate and compare the effect of pre-procedural administration of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and meloxicam in reducing pain after separator placement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred twenty-one patients who needed orthodontic treatment and aged above 15 were randomly assigned to one of the three study groups: group A: 650 mg acetaminophen, group B: 400 mg ibuprofen, and group C: 7.5 mg meloxicam. All subjects received a single dose of medication 1 h prior to separator placement. Using visual analog scale, patients recorded their pain perception during rest, fitting posterior teeth together, and chewing at time intervals of immediately, 2, 6, 24, and 48 h after separator placement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and meloxicam in post-separator placement pain control when administered 1 h before the procedure. In all the groups, at rest, pain level elevated after separator placement and reached its peak at 24 h and then subsided until 48 h. But during chewing and fitting of the posterior teeth, some of the groups reached a peak in pain at 48 h. No significant difference was found in pain experience between males and females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Meloxicam can be used as an effective analgesic in orthodontic pain control considering it has less gastric side effects compared to the conventional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT2015041821828N1.
authors.affiliation: Orthodontic Research Center, Orthodontics Department, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. zarifhooman@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hooman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zarif Najafi
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Tehran, Iran. morteza_oshagh@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oshagh
authors.affiliation: Orthodontic Research Center, Orthodontics Department, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. salehip@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Orthodontic Research Center, Orthodontics Department, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. nedababanouri@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Babanouri
authors.affiliation: Orthodontics Department, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. sepideh.torkan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sepideh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Torkan
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D000077239:Meloxicam; D009967:Orthodontic Appliances / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D058748:Pain Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D011292:Premedication; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013843:Thiazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D013843:Thiazines; D013844:Thiazoles; D000082:Acetaminophen; D000077239:Meloxicam; D007052:Ibuprofen
keywords: Meloxicam; Non-selective NSAIDs; Orthodontic pain