Pulpectomy vs. Pulpotomy as Alternative Emergency Treatments for Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis-A Multicenter...

Area of Science:

• Endodontics
• Dental Emergency Treatment
• Clinical Dentistry

Background:

• Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis (SIP) requires effective emergency treatment.
• Optimal emergency treatment for SIP remains debated.
• This study compares pulpotomy (POT) and pulpectomy (PEC) for SIP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical efficacy of POT versus PEC for emergency treatment of SIP.
• To evaluate pain management as the primary outcome.
• To assess patient-reported duration, comfort, and satisfaction as secondary outcomes.

Main Methods:

• An equivalence randomized clinical trial involving 80 patients with SIP.
• Patients were randomly assigned to either POT or PEC.
• Pain levels were measured using numerical rating scales (NRS) pre-operatively and at 6, 24, and 72 hours post-operatively.

Main Results:

• Both POT and PEC significantly reduced preoperative pain levels.
• No significant differences in pain reduction, treatment duration, or discomfort were observed between the groups.
• High patient satisfaction was reported for both treatments, with self-reported pain being the main factor influencing final satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Pulpotomy and pulpectomy are equally effective in pain relief for emergency treatment of SIP.
• Patient perceptions of duration and discomfort were similar for both procedures.
• Pulpotomy's faster and simpler nature makes it a recommended pragmatic option for emergency SIP management.