Comparison of the Effects of Diclofenac Sodium or Celecoxib on the Healing Tooth Socket. A Study in Rats

Introduction: There is extensive evidence in the orthopedic literature that prolonged use of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) can hinder long bone fracture healing and new bone formation around implants. The aim of this study was to investigate if short time administrations of NSAIDs such as diclofenac or celecoxib interfere with the course of healing of alveolar bony socket following tooth extraction. Materials and Methods: Forty-five rats (15 per group) were used. After extraction of the right maxillary first molar, 15 rats received 5 mg/kg/day of diclofenac, 15 rats received 15 mg/kg/day of celecoxib and 15 rats received normal saline. The animals were sacrificed at 7, 14 and 21 days following tooth extraction. The number of osteoclasts, osteoblast and new bone formation were determined by using histological analyses. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test (α=0.05). Results: On the 7th day, the osteoblast number in the control group was higher than the diclofenac and celecoxib groups. Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase (TRAP) immunolabeling of the control group was more than the diclofenac group on the 7th day and more than the celecoxib group on the 14th day. On the 21st day, no significant differences were noted among the three studied groups. On the 14th and 21st day, new bone formation in the NSAID treated rats was not significantly different from that in the control rats. Conclusion: Short-term treatment with diclofenac or celecoxib, although they have the capacity to inhibit the enzyme cyclooxygenase, did not cause a significant delay in alveolar bone healing during the experimental period in rats.