A double-blind randomized analgesic trial was carried out on 180 patients undergoing surgical removal of an impacted lower wisdom tooth. The patients took their first dose of either 1000 mg paracetamol plus 60 mg codeine or 650 mg paracetamol plus 65 mg dextropropoxyphene when pain appeared after the decline of the local anaesthesia. If needed, another two doses were available during the observation period (less than or equal to 10 h). The analgesic efficacy of paracetamol/codeine was overall superior to paracetamol/dextropropoxyphene in all variables. Sufficient pain relief was obtained in most patients. The pain reduction after the first dose was 64% in the group receiving paracetamol/codeine compared with 53% in the group receiving paracetamol/dextropropoxyphene and the mean durations of effect of the first dose were 6.6 and 5.8 h, respectively. Side-effects appeared in all patient groups but were most frequent in women taking paracetamol/codeine.