Effects of Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen on Pulpal Anaesthesia Immediately after Pulpectomy of Primary Maxillary Molars

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of acetaminophen and ibuprofen on pulpal anaesthesia immediately after pulpectomy of primary maxillary molars. In this placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial, 60 children (aged 5 to 9) were referred to the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Yazd Dental School; for primary maxillary molar pulpectomy. Local anaesthesia and analgesic drugs were used for the pre-operative stage. A five-face scale was considered to evaluate pain reaction during the pulp therapy. Pain scores were determined when the dental procedure was complete. The Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were finally used at the confidence level of 95%. Use of analgesics before pulpectomy in children can reduce pain score compared to placebo group (P<0.001) and increase the effectiveness of pulpal anesthesia. Additionally, ibuprofen exhibited lower pain scores compared to acetaminophen although the difference was not statistically significant. Pre-operative use of ibuprofen and acetaminophen might be a useful way to achieve analgesia during pulpectomy of primary maxillary molars in children.