In this double-blind, repeat-dose study, 323 outpatients with moderate to severe pain after oral surgery assessed zomepirac sodium, a new oral, single-entity, nonnarcotic analgesic, and APC with codeine, 30 mg, a reference standard. Pain relief obtained with 100 mg of zomepirac sodium was significantly superior to that of APC with codeine, 30 mg; 50 mg of zomepirac sodium was as effective as the reference drug. The analgesic acceptability was highest for 100 mg of zomepirac sodium. Both doses of this new drug produced significantly fewer adverse reactions than APC with codeine, 30 mg.