Evaluation of preoperative diflunisal for postoperative pain following periodontal surgery.

The effectiveness of diflunisal as a preoperative medication to reduce pain following periodontal surgery was evaluated. Fifty patients were divided into two groups in a double-blind random manner: Group one received preoperative difunisal and Group two received preoperative placebo. The preoperative diflunisal group reported significantly less discomfort (P less than 0.05) than the preoperative placebo group and used rescue medication significantly less often (P less than 0.01). Therapeutic doses of diflunisal, given presurgically, are significantly more effective than placebo in limiting postoperative pain associated with periodontal surgery.