According to a randomized clinical trial, the analgesic efficacy of the Ketoprofen transdermal patch (KTP) is comparable to oral Ibuprofen tablets in minimizing postendodontic pain in pulpitis-affected patients. The objective of the study was to compare the pain-relieving effectiveness of KTP vs. Ibuprofen tablets in pulpitis.

A total of 64 subjects with irreversible pulpitis in their mandibular first and second molars were enrolled and randomized into 2 groups utilizing stratified permuted block randomization, with each group comprising 32 volunteers. The control group was administered 400 mg of Ibuprofen orally every 6 hours for one day while the experimental group received 60 mg of KTP every 6 hours.

The severity of pain was evaluated employing a numerical rating scale (NRS) before the endodontic treatment and at various time points: 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 hours following the intervention. With the utilization of the Mann–Whitney test, t-test, and generalized estimating equation (alpha = 0.05), the collected data was assessed. Initially, there was no significant difference in pain scores between the groups at the baseline or any other time point after the procedure.

From 2 to 10 hours and from 10 to 48 hours after the procedure, both groups experienced a substantial decline in pain scores. The combined influence of time and group did not yield any significant impact on the postoperative pain scores across the projected time intervals, suggesting that the pain relief pattern remained consistent in both groups throughout the observed period.

Given the comparable pain-relieving effectiveness of KTP to Ibuprofen tablets and its reduced incidence of side effects, KTP could serve as a viable substitute for oral Ibuprofen tablets in managing pain after endodontic procedures on mandibular first and second molars afflicted with irreversible pulpitis.