The aim of the present study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of piroxicam-FDDF (fast dissolving dosage form) with naproxen sodium, following bilateral removal of impacted third molars. A double-blind, randomized, crossover, analgesic trial was carried out on 40 patients undergoing surgical removal of one lower third molar at each visit. The analgesic efficacy of a single dose regimen of piroxicam-FDDF (40 mg, Feldene Flash, Pfizer, Turkey) was compared with naproxen sodium (550 mg, Anaprotab, Sanli, Turkey). Pain intensity was measured on a category-rating scale during the 8-h period after drug administration. Each patient evaluated the efficacy of the study medication at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min, and then hourly for up to 8 h of drug ingestion. Additional key efficacy measures were also determined (pain intensity difference [PID], sums of pain intensity difference [SPID], total pain relief [TOTPAR], peak pain relief, number of observations at which pain was half-relieved, overall evaluation of study medication effectiveness, and time to medication with a back-up analgesic). The data were analyzed by paired Student's t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results are expressed as means +/- SEM, and p < 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. The PID and pain relief scores of the piroxicam-FDDF group were significantly greater than those for the naproxen sodium group at 15, 30, 45 and 60 min (p < 0.01). After 90 min to 8 h, no statistical significance was revealed among the two test groups (p > 0.05). The peak pain relief, maximal analgesic effect, SPID, TOTPAR values, adjusted mean number of observations with pain at least half-relieved, and the final overall evaluation records were all superior for piroxicam-FDDF (p < 0.05). The results of this study clearly show that the analgesic efficacy of piroxicam-FDDF is superior to naproxen sodium in the treatment of pain following oral surgery for the removal of impacted third molars.