Postoperative pain in multiple-visit and single-visit root canal treatment

Area of Science:

• Endodontics
• Conservative Dentistry
• Dental Public Health

Background:

• Postoperative pain is a common concern following endodontic procedures.
• Evaluating pain incidence is crucial for patient management and treatment optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the incidence and characteristics of postoperative pain after conventional root canal treatment (RCT).
• To compare pain levels between single-visit and multiple-visit RCT at the University of Khartoum, Sudan.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 234 patients (age 18-62) underwent conventional RCT using modified double-flared technique and hand instruments.
• Postoperative pain was self-reported using a visual analogue scale at 12 and 24 hours post-treatment.

Main Results:

• The overall incidence of postoperative pain was 9.0% at both 12 and 24 hours.
• Patients with preoperative pain reported higher postoperative pain (15.9%) compared to those without (7.1%).
• No significant difference in postoperative pain was observed between single-visit and multiple-visit RCT.

Conclusions:

• Conventional root canal treatment is associated with a low incidence of postoperative pain.
• The number of visits for root canal treatment does not significantly impact postoperative pain levels.