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Relationship between postendodontic pain, tooth diagnostic factors, and apical patency
Ana Arias1, Magdalena Azabal, Juan J Hidalgo
1Department of Conservative Dentistry, Faculty (Estomatologia II) of Odontology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Journal of Endodontics
|January 27, 2009
Summary
Maintaining apical patency during root canal treatment may reduce postoperative pain in nonvital teeth. Overall, it does not increase pain incidence, degree, or duration when all factors are considered.
Area of Science:
- Endodontics
- Dental Pain Management
Background:
- Postoperative pain is a common concern following endodontic treatment.
- Apical patency, maintaining an unobstructed canal terminus, is a procedural variable with debated effects on pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare postoperative pain (incidence, degree, duration) after endodontic treatment with and without apical patency.
- To evaluate the influence of diagnostic factors on pain outcomes related to apical patency.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 300 endodontically treated teeth.
- Two groups: one maintaining apical patency with a #10 K-file during shaping, the other not.
- Data collected via questionnaires regarding postoperative pain and diagnostic factors (vitality, preoperative pain, tooth location).
Main Results:
- Significantly less postoperative endodontic pain was observed when apical patency was maintained in nonvital teeth.
- Pain duration was longer with apical patency in teeth with preoperative pain or located in the mandible.
- Overall analysis indicated no increase in pain incidence, degree, or duration with apical patency maintenance.
Conclusions:
- Maintaining apical patency can reduce postoperative pain in specific cases (nonvital teeth).
- Careful consideration of preoperative pain and tooth location (mandible) is advised when maintaining apical patency.
- Overall, apical patency maintenance is not associated with increased postoperative pain when all variables are analyzed comprehensively.
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