Comparison of Postoperative Pain Using Endo-Activator Vs. Conventional Irrigation in Symptomatic Periapical...

To compare the frequency of pain after using endo-activator and conventional irrigation in patients presenting with symptomatic periapical periodontitis following endodontic treatment by means of a visual analogue scale (VAS).

Randomised clinical trial. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Sindh Institute of Oral Health Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan, from September 2023 to March 2024.

Sixty patients with symptomatic teeth requiring endodontic treatment were recruited by probability random sampling into two groups based on irrigation protocols used during endodontic treatment: Conventional needle and endo-activator irrigation system. The difference between intensity of pain in the two groups at various time intervals was assessed by Mann-Whitney U test. The postoperative pain of patients was recorded via a telephone call at 6 hours, 24 hours, and at 7th day on the visual analogue scale (VAS).

Pain was higher in the conventional group as compared to the endo-activator group at 6 hours, 24 hours as well as at the 7th day (p <0.001).

The intensity and severity of postoperative pain occurring in patients presenting with symptomatic periapical periodontitis was significantly reduced by the use of endo-activator when used with 2.5% NaOCl seven days after single-visit endodontic treatment.

Conventional irrigation, Endo-activator, Postoperative pain, Symptomatic periapical periodontitis, Visual analogue scale.