Postoperative pain and radiographic evaluation of single-visit and multi-visit root canal therapy of teeth with irreversible pulpitis

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of single-visit and multi-visit root canal therapy of teeth with irreversible pulpitis,and to evaluate the clinical feasibility of single-visit root canal therapy. Methods A total of 135 teeth with irreversible pulpitis requiring root canal treatment were included preoperatively. The teeth were assigned into two groups at random and treated according to standardized protocol. The teeth in control group( n = 62) were treated by multivisit root canal therapy while those in experimental group( n = 73) were treated by one-visit root canal therapy. Patients were recalled at intervals of one week,6 and 12 months postoperatively to compare the pain remission rate and radiographic investigation between the two groups. Results There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the incidence and severity of postoperative pain at the end of one week( 12. 32% and 19. 35%,P 0. 05). Radiographic investigation at the end of 6 and 12 months also showed no significant difference. Conclusion On strict adherence to biological principles and proper case selection,no significant difference existed in the success,postoperative pain when treated with either single-visit or multiple-visit therapy.