Doğru, İ.Cigerim, L.2025-10-302025-10-3020252045-232210.1038/s41598-025-20361-72-s2.0-105019114705https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-20361-7https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14720/28826The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of naproxen sodium + codeine phosphate and dexketoprofen trometamol + paracetamol combinations in the treatment of acute dental pain during the preoperative period. Patients with complaints of acute pericoronitis caused by a semi-erupted lower impacted third molar were included in the study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups, naproxen sodium + codeine phosphate (550/30 mg) in group A and dexketoprofen trometamol + paracetamol (25/300 mg) in group B, and pain was assessed by VAS. The collected data were statistically analysed and interpreted using SPSS. The Friedman test (a non-parametric test) was used to analyse data within groups. The independent groups t-test and Mann–Whitney U-test were used to analyse data between groups. Of the 62 patients included in the study, 51 (82.3%) were female and 11 (17.7%) were male, with a mean age of 22.94 years. As a result of the 7-day evaluation, the VAS average in group A decreased from 7.61 to 1.26, representing an 83.44% decrease, while in group B, it decreased from 7.19 to 0.61, representing an 91.52% decrease. When the VAS averages of groups A and B were compared over time, statistically significant differences were only found between the values on day 7 (p < 0.05). Both analgesics were effective in acute dental pain. The results of this study support the use of dexketoprofen trometamol + paracetamol and naproxen sodium + codeine phosphate combinations in the treatment of acute dental pain during preoperative period. Clinical Trial Registration: This trial was retrospectively registered on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ on 21 March 2025 under the title ‘Evaluation of the Analgesic Efficacy of the Combination of Dexketoprofen + Paracetamol and the Combination of Naproxen Sodium + Codeine in Patients With Acute Dental Pain’ and number NCT06916234. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessAcute Dental PainCodeineDexketoprofenNaproxen SodiumParacetamolPericoronitisArticle151Q1Q141107344