A randomized clinical trial was carried out to evaluate the usefulness of transdermal patches containing Ketoprofen and Diclofenac sodium in comparison with oral Diclofenac tablets in mitigating post-endodontic pain following a single-visit root canal treatment for teeth diagnosed with pulpitis.

Overall, 78 eligible volunteers suffering from symptomatic irreversible pulpitis and having preoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores of > 4 were included. Exclusion criteria comprised ongoing use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)/analgesics, tooth pathology, developmental anomalies, cracked/fractured teeth, lactation, or pregnancy. Following root canal treatment, subjects were randomly assigned to 3 groups through computer randomization. Individuals in Groups A and B were given transdermal patches with Ketoprofen and Diclofenac, respectively, applied to their right forearm for twenty-four hours.

Additionally, they had a supplementary patch placed on their left forearm the following day. Group C subjects were given 4 Diclofenac sodium tablets orally, administered 2 times every day for 2 days. Pain assessment using VAS scales was conducted at 4, 8, 24, and 48 hours after intervention. The collected VAS scores were tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis with the utilization of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. For statistical assessment, the Shapiro-Wilk test and the Related Samples Friedman’s Two-Way Analysis of Variance by Ranks were employed.

A substantial decrease in mean postoperative pain scores was noted in all groups and time intervals in comparison with the preoperative scores. Ketoprofen patch group showed higher superiority at 48 hours, demonstrating statistical significance as opposed to both the Diclofenac transdermal patch and oral Diclofenac tablet groups (Figure 1).

The efficacy of transdermal patches comprising Ketoprofen and Diclofenac sodium in alleviating post-endodontic pain following a one-session root canal treatment for symptomatic irreversible pulpitis was apparent. These patches offered efficient pain alleviation while mitigating the potential risks of adverse effects associated with oral NSAIDs, making them a favorable therapeutic option.