Assessing the Efficacy of Cold Laser Therapy vs. Traditional Methods in Managing Post-Endodontic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The background of the study highlighted the common occurrence of post-endodontic pain and the need for effective pain management strategies. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients were randomly assigned to two groups: the cold laser therapy (CLT) group and the traditional methods group (TMG). The CLT group received laser treatment at the affected area immediately following endodontic treatment, whereas the TMG received standard pain management techniques such as analgesics. Pain levels were assessed using a visual analog scale at baseline and at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours post treatment. Pain scores were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods, including analysis of variance, and P values were calculated to determine the significance of differences between groups. Results: This study found significant differences in post-endodontic pain levels between CLT and standard procedures. At 6 hours post treatment, the CLT group had a mean pain score of 2.1 ± 0.8, whereas the TMG had a mean pain score of 3.8 ± 1.2 (P = 0.012). Pain levels in the CLT group decreased with time, with scores decreasing to 1.5 ± 0.6 at 12 hours, 1.2 ± 0.5 at 24 hours, and 0.9 ± 0.4 at 48 hours post treatment. In contrast, the TMG had greater pain scores at each time point: 3.2 ± 1.0, 2.9 ± 1.1, 2.5 ± 0.9, and 2.1 ± 0.8 at 12, 24, and 48 hours post treatment, respectively. At 12, 24, and 48 hours post treatment, P values of 0.021, 0.036, and 0.004, respectively, indicated significant differences. Conclusion: In managing post-endodontic pain, CLT demonstrated superior efficacy compared to traditional methods.

Root Canal Configuration and Its Relationship with Endodontic Technical Errors and Periapical Status in Premolar Teeth of a Saudi Sub-Population: A Cross-Sectional Observational CBCT Study.

Endodontic technical errors are the foremost cause of treatment failure. A thorough understanding of root canal configuration (RCC) is essential to prevent these iatrogenic errors. This study used CBCT images to determine the association between root canal configuration, endodontic technical errors, and periapical status. CBCT images of 101 patients, including total of 212 obturated premolars (256 canals) were assessed. RCCs were classified according to the Vertucci system. The presence of endodontic errors and periapical lesions associated with each RCC was noted. Presence or absence of coronal restoration and its association with periapical radiolucency was recorded. The most frequent RCC was Type I (199 cases; 77.73%), followed by Type II (26 cases; 10.15%), Type IV (22 cases; 8.59%), Type V (4 cases; 1.56%), Type III (4 cases; 1.56%), and Type VI (1 case; 0.39%). Under-filling and non-homogeneous filling were the most common technical errors. Prevalence of periapical radiolucency was 81% in the presence of technical errors. The absence of coronal restoration caused apical lesions in 93% of cases. The frequency of endodontic technical errors increased as the root canal configurations became more complex. Periapical lesions occurred more often in teeth with endodontic errors and/or absent coronal restoration.