Analgesic effectiveness and safety of celecoxib versus non-opioid active controls after third molar surgery: A meta-analytical evaluation

The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the analgesic efficacy and adverse effects of celecoxib compared to non-opioid drugs after third molar surgery. A search in PubMed and Google Scholar was performed to identify clinical trials, and then, the Cochrane Collaboration tool was used to assess the risk of bias for all clinical trials. Studies without any high-risk of bias were included in the statistical analysis. The data extraction included the pain intensity measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS), the number of patients using rescue analgesics and adverse effects of gastric (nausea and vomiting), and nervous (dizziness and headache) systems. Data were analyzed using the Review Manager Software 5.3 for Windows and the Risk Reduction Calculator. The visual analog scale, total pain relief, and the number of patients who needed rescue analgesics showed statistical significance. Moreover, celecoxib had a lower frequency of nausea and vomiting compared with ibuprofen. In conclusion, celecoxib was more effective than acetaminophen and ibuprofen for pain control after third molar surgery.