Abstract
Objective To determine whether there is any significant difference in the incidence of post-obturation pain after single-and multiple-visit root canal treatment.
Design A randomised controlled trial in a hospital setting.
Intervention Three hundred consecutive patients receiving root canal treatment were assigned randomly into either single- or multiple-visit groups. The canals of all teeth were prepared and filled by a single operator using the step-back and lateral condensation techniques.
Outcome measures The frequency of post-obturation pain was recorded and evaluated over 30 days. The data were analysed statistically to determine the relationship, if any, between the pain experienced and pulpal vitality, tooth type, pre-operative pain, and the sex and age of the patient.
Results Nine patients were excluded, as they failed to attend for reviews. A significantly higher incidence (P<0.01) of post-obturation pain was found in the multiple-visit group (38%) than in the single-visit group (27%) within 24 h of obturation. No significant correlation was found between post-obturation pain and any other factor, with the exception that teeth which had non-vital pulp before treatment were associated with a significantly greater (P<0.005) incidence of post-obturation pain.
Conclusions Pain was significantly higher in the multiple-visit RCT group and significantly associated with the treatment of the non-vital pulp.
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Albashaireh ZSM, Alnegrish AS. Postobturation pain after single- and multiple-visit endodontic therapy. A prospective study. J Dentistry 1998; 26: 227–232
Address for reprints: Dr Z Albashaireh, Faculty of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
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Saunders, W. Single visit endodontics resulted in less pain than multiple visits. Evid Based Dent 2, 12 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ebd.6400008
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ebd.6400008