Comparative effectiveness of preemptive administration of ibuprofen and ibuprofen-arginine on the anesthetic success of inferior alveolar nerve block in teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis - A double-blind randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the impact of premedication with ibuprofen and ibuprofen-arginine and the influence of preoperative pain and anxiety on inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) efficacy in cases of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 150 SIP patients who were randomly assigned to receive ibuprofen (600 mg), ibuprofen-arginine (1,155 mg), or a placebo 30 min before IANB. Preoperative anxiety and pain levels were assessed using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale and the Heft-Parker visual scale. IANB efficacy was determined by the absence of or mild pain during the procedure. Statistical analysis included chi-square, z-tests, Analysis of Variance, and Student's t tests. RESULTS: The ibuprofen and ibuprofen-arginine groups exhibited significantly higher IANB success rates (62% and 78%, respectively) compared to the placebo group (34%). However, no significant difference was observed between the ibuprofen and ibuprofen-arginine groups. Patients with successful IANB in the ibuprofen and ibuprofen-arginine groups displayed lower median anxiety scores (8) than those with failed blocks (15) and lower mean preoperative pain scores (118.3). CONCLUSION: In cases of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis the preemptive medication with ibuprofen-arginine effectively increased the efficacy of the inferior alveolar nerve block The inferior alveolar nerve block efficacy was influenced by preoperative anxiety levels and the intensity of pain. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This research underscores the potential benefits of oral premedication with ibuprofen and ibuprofen-arginine in improving anesthesia outcomes in cases of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.

Comparing intraosseous computerized anaesthesia with inferior alveolar nerve block in the treatment of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: A randomized controlled trial.

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the cardiovascular effects [heart rate, oxygen saturation (SpO2 ), systolic and diastolic blood pressure] and the anaesthetic efficacy of intraosseous computerized anaesthesia (ICA) versus inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) in Symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP). METHODOLOGY: The study protocol was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03802305). In a randomized, prospective clinical trial, 72 mandibular molar teeth with SIP were randomly allocated to conventional IANB injection (n = 36) or ICA injection (n = 36), both with 1.8 mL of 4% articaine with 1:100 000 epinephrine. The primary objective was to assess the cardiovascular parameters (heart rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure) before, during and after the anaesthesia. The secondary objectives were to compare ICA with IANB for success and postoperative outcomes for up to 3 days. RESULTS: The maximum increase in heart rate in the ICA group was greater than in the IANB. Other cardiovascular parameters did not show differences throughout the clinical procedure. There were no statistically significant differences (p > .05) between groups for sex, age, or anxiety. The total success rate of ICA (91.43%) was significantly higher (p = .0034) than that of IANB (69.44%). CONCLUSIONS: This study establishes that ICA is safe and efficient in the first intention for the treatment of SIP of the mandibular molar.

Cryotherapy and pain intensity during endodontic treatment of mandibular first permanent molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of cryotherapy application after inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) administration of the mandibular first permanent molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP) in adolescence. The secondary outcome was to compare the need for supplemental intraligamentary injection (ILI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was designed as a randomized clinical trial including 152 participants aged from 10 to 17 years who were randomly assigned to two equal groups; cryotherapy plus IANB (intervention group) and the control group (conventional INAB). Both groups received 3.6 mL of 4% articaine. For the intervention group, ice packs were applied in the buccal vestibule of the mandibular first permanent molar for 5 min. Endodontic procedures started after 20 min for efficiently anesthetized teeth. The intraoperative pain intensity was measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS). The Mann-Whitney (U) and chi-square tests were applied to analyze data. The significance level was set to 0.05. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in the overall intraoperative VAS mean in the cryotherapy group compared to that in the control group (p = 0.004). The success rate was significantly higher in the cryotherapy group (59.2%) compared to the control group (40.8%). The frequency of extra ILI was 50% and 67.1% in the cryotherapy and control groups, respectively (p = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: The cryotherapy application boosted the efficacy of pulpal anesthesia of the mandibular first permanent molars with SIP in patients below the age of 18 years. Additional anesthesia was still necessary for optimal control over pain. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Pain control during endodontic treatment of primary molars with irreversible pulpitis (IP) is a significant factor in a child's behavior in the dental office. Although the inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) is the most commonly used technique to anaesthetize mandibular dentition, we found its success rate to be relatively low during endodontic treatment of primary molars with IP. Cryotherapy is a new approach that significantly improves the efficacy of IANB. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (reference no. NCT05267847).

Effect of precooling injection site and cold anesthetic administration on injection pain, onset, and anesthetic efficacy in maxillary molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled clinical trial assessed the analgesic and anesthetic effects of precooling the injection site and administration of refrigerated 2% lignocaine HCl with 1:100,000 epinephrine (LE) in maxillary molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients diagnosed with SIP (preoperative pain score ≥ 85 mm) in maxillary first molars were randomly allocated to two groups. In group I (control), topical gel was applied for a minute followed by conventional LE infiltration, whereas in group II (experimental), topical ice application for 15 s and refrigerated (4-6 °C) LE administration was done prior to endodontic treatment. The primary outcome measure was anesthetic efficacy that was defined as none to weak pain (≤ 36 mm) as measured on Heft Parker visual analog scale (HP-VAS) following access cavity preparation. Pain on injection and onset constituted the secondary outcome measures. The pain on injection was measured using HP-VAS, whereas the onset of anesthesia was assessed using an electric pulp tester (EPT) which was applied on the experimental tooth every minute until no response was elicited. Mann-Whitney U test was performed to analyze the data (p < 0.01). RESULTS: Experimental group reported a success rate of 86.6% when compared to control group (26.6%) and a statistically significant reduction on injection pain (20.0 mm vs 54.5 mm) (p < 0.01). The onset of anesthesia for experimental group was 2.4 min which was also significantly lower than control group (4.5 min) (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Cryotherapy can serve as an effective alternative to conventional anesthesia for achieving success, reduced pain, and faster onset during endodontic treatment of maxillary molars with SIP. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Precooling the injection site and cold LE administration can result in effective pulpal anesthesia during endodontic management of maxillary molars in SIP patients.

The effect of pre-operative submucosal administration of dexamethasone, tramadol, articaine on the success rate of inferior alveolar nerve block on mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.

AIM: To establish the effects of submucosal tramadol, dexamethasone and articaine on the success of inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANB) during root canal treatment of mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP). METHODOLOGY: In this randomized double-blind, controlled clinical trial, 120 patients with the diagnosis of SIP in their mandibular first or second molars were included and randomly divided into four groups (n = 30). The control group received normal saline and three experimental groups received a single dose of dexamethasone (8 mg/2 mL), or tramadol (100 mg/2 mL) or articaine (4% / 2 mL). The pre-operative pain levels of the patients were measured with the Heft-Parker visual analogue scale (HP VAS). All patients received standard IANB of 4% articaine with 1:200000 epinephrine. Following the observation of lip numbness, submucosal injections were administered into the mucobuccal fold adjacent to the mandibular molars. After 15 min, standard root canal treatment was initiated, and the pain intensity levels recorded from the access cavity preparation to pulp extirpation were measured with HP VAS. The duration of the anaesthesia was also evaluated. The experimental groups were compared using one-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis H-test. The groups that were significantly different were compared pairwise using the Tukey Multiple Comparison test. The Chi-square test was used to compare the categorical variables. RESULTS: The submucosal administration of articaine significantly increased the success rate to 63% in comparison with the control group that received submucosal saline (p < .05). The success rate of pulpal anaesthesia was 37% in the control group, 57% in the tramadol group and 47% in the dexamethasone group, with no significant difference in the success rate among these groups. In the dexamethasone group, the duration of the anaesthetic effect of IANB was significantly longer than those in the other groups (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with SIP, pre-operative submucosal administration of articaine increased the success rate of IANB, while administration of dexamethasone increased the duration of anaesthesia. These agents can be used in cases where effective anaesthesia cannot be obtained during root canal treatments.

Relationship between the difference in electric pulp test values and the diagnostic type of pulpitis.

BACKGROUND: According to the diagnosis criteria of the American Association of Endodontists (AAE), sensitive responses to cold and/or heat tests of suspected teeth compared with those of control teeth can be used for the diagnosis of pulpitis, but the role of electric pulp test (EPT) is not mentioned. It is believed that EPT has some limitations in determining the vitality of the pulp. The aim of this study was to explore the association between the difference in EPT values and the differential diagnoses of reversible pulpitis (RP) and symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIRP) caused by dental caries. METHODS: A total of 203 cases with pulpitis caused by dental caries were included. A diagnosis of pulpitis was made on the basis of the diagnostic criteria of AAE. Patient demographic and clinical examination data were collected. The EPT values of the suspected teeth and control teeth were measured, and the differences between them were calculated. The correlation between the difference in the EPT values and diagnosis of pulpitis was analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: In the 203 cases (78 males and 125 females; 115 cases of RP, 88 cases of SIRP; 9 anterior teeth, 59 premolars, and 135 molars), the mean patient age was 34.04 ± 13.02 (standard deviation) years. The unadjusted (crude) model, model 1 (adjusted for age), model 2 (adjusted for age and sex), and model 3 (adjusted for age, sex, and tooth type) were established for the statistical analyses. In model 3 [odds ratio (OR) = 1.025; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.002-1.050; P = 0.035], the difference in EPT values between RP and SIRP was statistically significant. However, the areas under the curve of predictive probability of the crude model, model 1, model 2, and model 3 were 0.565, 0.570, 0.585, and 0.617, respectively, showing that the model accuracy was low. The P-value for the trend in differences between the EPT values as a categorical variable showed that the differences in the EPT values, comparing RP and SIRP, were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the present data, the difference in EPT values was not sufficient to differentiate RP from SIRP.

The effect of pretreatment submucosal injections of tramadol and dexamethasone on post-endodontic pain in mandibular molar teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

AIM: To establish the effects of submucosal single doses of two medicines on postoperative pain after root canal treatment in mandibular molar teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. METHODOLOGY: In this randomized controlled, double-blind clinical trial, 90 patients with the diagnosis of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis in their mandibular first or second molars were included and randomly divided into three groups (n = 30): a control group that received normal saline and two experimental groups that received a single dose of either tramadol (100 mg 2 mL-1 ) or dexamethasone (8 mg 2 mL-1 ). After local anaesthesia and before treatment, submucosal injections were administered into the mucobuccal fold adjacent to the mandibular molars, and a routine single-visit root canal treatment procedure was performed in all groups. After the root canal treatments, the patients were asked to score their pain level using the Heft-Parker visual analogue scale (0-170 mm) at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. The experimental groups were compared using one-way anova or Kruskal-Wallis H-test. The groups that were significantly different were compared pairwise using Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney U-test. The findings were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation or median (min-max). The categorical variables were tested using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact chi-square test, and the results were expressed as counts and percentages. RESULTS: At the 6-h and 48-h time intervals, the intensity of pain was significantly less in both the dexamethasone and tramadol groups than in the control group (P < 0.0167). At the end of 12 h, the pain level in the dexamethasone group was significantly less compared to the other groups (P < 0.0167). CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment submucosal dexamethasone and tramadol injections significantly diminished post-treatment endodontic pain of patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis following single-visit root canal treatment. However, dexamethasone was more effective than tramadol in pain reduction in the first 12 h.

The effect of preoperative submucosal administration of tramadol on the success rate of inferior alveolar nerve block on mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.

AIM: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was designed to improve the success of inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANB) in mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP) by means of preoperative submucosal administration of 50 mg tramadol. METHODOLOGY: Forty-two patients with a mandibular molar diagnosed with SIP took part in the trial. Patients were assigned randomly to one of two groups: tramadol group (n = 21), who received 50 mg tramadol in 1 mL by mandibular infiltration, and a placebo group (n = 21), who received 1 mL of normal saline administered to the affected tooth by the same means. Ten minutes later, all patients received an IANB with 4% articaine with epinephrine 1 : 100 000. A 10-min waiting time was established after local anaesthetic (LA) administration before carrying out three consecutive tests to assess anaesthesia of the pulp, that is two consecutive negative responses to an electric pulp test, positive or negative response to a cold test and no pain during access cavity preparation. IANB was considered successful only if the patient did not experience pain arising from these tests. Data were analysed by the Chi-squared frequency test and the Fisher's exact test, for qualitative variables, Mann-Whitney U-test for independent samples and two-way anova for more than two independent samples. RESULTS: In the tramadol group IANB was achieved successfully in 57% of the sample, whilst the placebo group obtained 29%. The difference between groups was not significant (P = 0.06). When performing endodontic access, the anaesthetic success rate was significantly in favour of tramadol (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative submucosal administration of 50 mg tramadol in mandibular molars with SIP significantly improved the success of IANB using 4% articaine with 1 : 100 000 epinephrine during access cavity preparation in comparison with a placebo.

Efficacy of mepivacaine-tramadol combination on the success of inferior alveolar nerve blocks in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: a randomized clinical trial.

AIM: To compare the success of an inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) after injecting a combination of mepivacaine and tramadol or mepivacaine alone in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP) in mandibular permanent molars. METHODOLOGY: This study was a double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Two study groups were selected, each consisting of 28 patients who exhibited SIP on the first or second mandibular molars. All included patients presented with moderate-to-severe preoperative pain according to the modified Heft-Parker visual analogue scale (VAS). Patients were anaesthetized using the IANB technique employing identical cartridges that contained either 1.3 mL of 2% mepivacaine with epinephrine 1 : 100 000 plus 0.5 mL of tramadol 50 mg mL(-1) (experimental group) or 1.8 mL of 2% mepivacaine with epinephrine 1 : 100 000 (control group). After 15 min, anaesthesia was evaluated by a progressive four-test examination, that is numbness of the lip, positive or negative cold test, asymptomatic management of dental hard tissues and access to dental pulp. Success of the IANB was defined as the absence of pain during any of these evaluations. The data were analysed with a chi-square, Fisher's or Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: A total of 74 patients were initially assessed, with 56 patients eventually included and 18 excluded. No significant differences in age (P = 0.384) or gender (P = 1) were found between the two groups. The success rates of anaesthesia with the IANB for the experimental and control groups were 57.1 and 46.4%, respectively. The success rate of anaesthesia in the experimental group was not significantly different (P ˃ 0.05) from that of the control group. The duration of the anaesthetic effect was significantly longer for the experimental group (P = 0.026). CONCLUSION: The combination of mepivacaine-tramadol achieved similar success rates for IANB when compared to mepivacaine 2% epinephrine 1 : 100 000. There was no significant difference in the anaesthetic efficacy between the control and experimental solutions, and none of the solutions tested were completely successful.

Buccal versus buccal palatal infiltration for pulpal anesthesia using 2% lidocaine and 4% articaine: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: The inability in achieving complete pulpal anesthesia with standard buccal infiltration especially in cases with SIP used for maxillary teeth. The study aimed to compare the anesthetic efficacy of buccal and buccal plus palatal infiltration technique using 2% lidocaine and 4% articaine in permanent maxillary first molars with the diagnosis of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP). Material and method: One hundred and twenty-three patients with clinical diagnosis of SIP, aged 18-50 years were randomly allocated to three treatment groups (N = 41). Group 1(BIL): Buccal infiltration technique using 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 adrenaline. Group 2(BPIL): combination of buccal plus palatal infiltration using 2% Lidocaine with 1:80,000 adrenaline. Group 3(BIA): Buccal infiltration using 4% articaine with 1:100,000 adrenaline. Pain intensity of patients were recorded before and after the administration of local anesthesia during endodontic procedure that is during caries removal, access preparation and pulp removal using Heft-Parker Visual Analog Scale (HP-VAS). Success was defined by "no pain (0 mm)" or "mild pain (0-54 mm)" during endodontic procedure. The anesthetic efficacy rates were analyzed using chi-square tests, age differences using one-way ANOVA. Results: The final analysis included total of 117 patients. Higher success was observed in group II (85%) in comparison to group I (69%) and group III (74%), but the difference was statistically nonsignificant (p > 0.05). Our results demonstrated a nonsignificant difference between genders in all three groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The use of buccal plus palatal infiltration and 4% articaine can provide effective anesthesia as standard buccal infiltration and 2% lidocaine for patients with SIP in maxillary first molars.

Effect of the Irrigation Agitation Technique on Postoperative Pain in Teeth With Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis.

Introduction Irrigation of the root canal system is a vital step in endodontic treatment aimed at disinfecting the canal. The efficacy of irrigation can be improved by various irrigation agitation methods. One such novel method of interest is the manual dynamic agitation (MDA) technique. However, the effect of MDA on postoperative pain as compared to needle irrigation (NI) with sodium hypochlorite has been scarcely explored. This study aimed to compare the effects of NI and MDA techniques on postoperative pain in teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Materials and methods This quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Department of Operative and Paediatric Dentistry, Fauji Foundation Dental Hospital, over four months after gaining ethical approval. One hundred and sixty-eight participants diagnosed with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis were enrolled in the study through the purposive sampling technique. The participants were divided into two groups based on the irrigation technique used: Group A (NI) and Group B (MDA). Postoperative pain was recorded after six hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and seven days using the 0-100mm visual analog scale (VAS). The VAS scores were compared using an independent sample t-test. Results Out of 168 participants, 48.2% were in Group A and 51.2% in Group B. The study found that VAS pain scores for Group B (MDA) were significantly lower at six hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and seven days as compared to Group A (NI), with a p-value less than 0.001. Conclusion This study shows that the MDA technique leads to decreased postoperative pain both immediately after endodontic treatment and a week later as compared to the NI technique. Hence, the use of MDA can aid in controlling postendodontic pain and, therefore, ensure smoother recovery and increased patient satisfaction.

Clinical Assessment of Preemptive Analgesia on Success of Pulpal Anesthesia and Postendodontic Pain in Children with Irreversible Pulpitis: A Randomized Comparative Study.

Introduction: Optimal pain management of symptomatic pulpitis in formative years goes a long way in developing a positive dental attitude. Efforts should be made to increase the success of anesthesia, thus diminishing negative dental experiences. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of preemptive analgesia on the success of pulpal anesthesia following inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) in children with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis and on reducing postendodontic pain. Materials and methods: The research design was an in vivo, three-group, parallel, quadruple-blind study. A total of 75 patients were randomly allocated to one of the three groups-group I: ibuprofen, group II: combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol, and group III: multivitamin (placebo). Premedication was given 45 minutes before treatment, and patients received IANB in a standardized manner. Pain during pulpectomy was recorded using the face, legs, activity, cry, consolability (FLACC) scale and postoperatively using Wong-Baker's pain rating scale (WBPRS) at 4, 12, and 24 hours. Success was measured if the pain felt was of no or mild intensity. Results: Success of IANB was 64% for ibuprofen, 72% for the combination group, and 40% for the placebo group, with no statistically significant difference between all groups (p = 0.06) on the FLACC scale. At 4 hours postoperatively, a significant difference (p = 0.02) was found among groups with more children experiencing no or mild pain in groups I and II and the highest number of rescue medications taken by the placebo group. Conclusion: Ibuprofen and a combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen as preemptive analgesics had no significant effect on the success rate of IANB, although it was effective in reducing pain at 4 hours postoperatively. How to cite this article: Gori NA, Patel MC, Bhatt RK, et al. Clinical Assessment of Preemptive Analgesia on Success of Pulpal Anesthesia and Postendodontic Pain in Children with Irreversible Pulpitis: A Randomized Comparative Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(1):72-78.

Comparing the Effects of Intramuscular Injections of Dexamethasone and Ketorolac Tromethamine on Post-treatment Endodontic Pain: An In Vivo Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pain is the primary reason dental patients seek endodontic therapy. Post-treatment endodontic discomfort is a sequelae of periapical inflammation and anti-inflammatory drugs such as corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) would be reasonable therapy options. The purpose of this study was to compare and assess the efficacy of intramuscular injections of dexamethasone and ketorolac tromethamine versus placebo in reducing post-treatment endodontic pain in individuals undergoing root canal treatment. METHODOLOGY: Patients diagnosed with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis were selected. Nonsurgical endodontic therapy was carried out in a single visit. After completion of the root canal therapy, the patients were randomly assigned to one of the three groups for intramuscular drug administration. In group 1, 2 ml of sterile saline was administered, in group 2, 1 ml of 4 mg dexamethasone was administered; and in group 3, 1 ml of 30 mg ketorolac tromethamine was administered. Preoperative and postoperative pain intensity was measured by a verbal rating scale. Postoperatively, the incidence and severity of pain were recorded after four, 24, and 48 hours. RESULTS: All three groups showed a highly statistically significant reduction in pain scores when compared to preoperative levels. At the end of four hours, dexamethasone and ketorolac tromethamine showed highly significant results. Dexamethasone significantly reduced pain after 24 hours when compared to ketorolac and placebo groups. At the conclusion of 48 hours, all three groups experienced a gradual decrease in pain levels. CONCLUSION: Effective and complete debridement of infected root canal system provides predictable gradual reduction of post-endodontic pain.

Efficacy of preoperative ibuprofen on the success of inferior alveolar nerve block in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: a randomized clinical trial.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of preoperative oral ibuprofen (IBU) on the success of inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANBs) with mepivacaine containing 1 : 100 000 epinephrine for patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP). METHODOLOGY: The present study was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The study included two study groups each consisting of 25 patients who exhibited symptomatic irreversible pulpitis of a mandibular posterior tooth. The patients presented prolonged moderate or severe pain (>10 s) after cold testing and indicated their pain scores on a Heft-Parker visual analogue scale. The patients received identically appearing capsules containing either 600 mg IBU (IBUg) or gelatin (placebo, PLAg) 1 h before administration of IANB with 2% mepivacaine containing 1 : 100 000 epinephrine. After 15 min, the anaesthetic blockade was assessed by a three-step examination (lip numbness, positive/negative response to cold testing and clinical discomfort during endodontic access). IANB success was defined as the absence of pain during any of these evaluations. The data were analysed using the chi-squared test. RESULTS: All of the patients reported moderate or severe pain before the preoperative procedure. Statistically significant differences were observed between the IBUg and PLAg (P < 0.05); the success rates for the IANB were 72% (IBUg) and 36% (PLAg). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative oral administration of IBU significantly improved the efficacy of IANB in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.

Comparative assessment of the outcome of complete pulpotomy using mineral trioxide aggregate and Biodentine in mature permanent mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: A randomized clinical trial with 18 months of follow-up.

Background: Mature permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis have traditionally been managed with pulpectomy. With advancements in pulp biology and dental materials, many clinicians are using vital pulp therapies like pulpotomy to manage such teeth. The current study was conducted to help clinicians in making decisions about case selection and choice of material for such cases. Aim: This randomized clinical trial evaluated the outcome of complete pulpotomy, using mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Biodentine, in permanent mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP). Materials and Methods: Fifty patients with moderate-to-severe pain in mandibular molars with SIP were included in this prospective, parallel, single-blind clinical trial. Coronal pulp was completely removed and hemostasis was achieved with a cotton pellet moistened with 2.5% sodium hypochlorite. Subsequently, the radicular orifices were randomly covered with MTA or Biodentine. All teeth were permanently restored with composite restoration at the same appointment. Clinical evaluation was performed at 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months and radiographic evaluation was done after 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months. Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square tests were utilized for statistical analysis. Results: Success rates of MTA and Biodentine pulpotomy were 63.6% and 69.6%, respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups at any follow-up period (P > 0.05). Conclusion: There were no significant differences in complete pulpotomy success rates between MTA and Biodentine over 18 months in mandibular molars with SIP.

Effectiveness of oral premedication of meloxicam, ketorolac, dexamethasone, and ibuprofen on the success rate of inferior alveolar nerve block in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial was to compare the effect of oral premedication of meloxicam, ketorolac, dexamethasone, ibuprofen, or placebo on the success of inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANB) of mandibular posterior teeth in patients experiencing symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Two hundred and fifty emergency patients in moderate to severe pain diagnosed with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis of a mandibular first or second molar randomly received, in a double-blind manner, identical capsules containing either meloxicam 7.5 mg, ketorolac 10 mg, dexamethasone 0.5 mg, ibuprofen 600 mg, or placebo 60 minutes before the administration of an IANB. Profound lip numbness was assessed after 15 minutes. Access cavities were then prepared and success of IANB was defined as no or mild pain (Heft-Parker visual analog scale recordings) during access preparation and root canal instrumentation. The data were analyzed using chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS: The overall success rates for the meloxicam 7.5 mg, ketorolac 10 mg, dexamethasone 0.5 mg, and ibuprofen 600 mg groups were 52%, 64%, 54%, and 58%, respectively, with no significant differences in success rates among the premedications groups (P > .05). However, the tested premedications revealed significant differences compared with the placebo group (32% success rate) (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Premedication with meloxicam, ketorolac, dexamethasone, and ibuprofen increased the efficacy of IANB in mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. (Quintessence Int 2023;54:92-99; doi: 10.3290/j.qi.b3605097).

Effect of preoperative tramadol, ibuprofen, ibuprofen/acetaminophen on the anaesthetic efficacy of inferior alveolar nerve block in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.

The purpose of this double-blind clinical trial was to compare the effect of preoperative tramadol 50 mg, tramadol 100 mg, ibuprofen 600 mg, ibuprofen 600 mg/acetaminophen 1000 mg or placebo 60 min before the administration of inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANB) of mandibular teeth in patients experiencing symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP). Two hundred and fifty emergency patients diagnosed with SIP were randomly divided into five groups and received medications. Endodontic access was begun 15 min after completion of the IANB, and all patients had profound lip numbness. The Heft-Parker visual analogue scale was used to evaluate pain. Premedication with tramadol 100 mg significantly increased the success rate to 62% than the other groups (p < 0.05). The success rates of ibuprofen, ibuprofen/acetaminophen and tramadol 50 mg groups were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Premedication with tramadol 100 mg enhanced the anaesthetic success of IANB in mandibular molars with SIP.

Evaluation of postoperative pain using warm versus room temperature sodium hypochlorite as an irrigant in mandibular molars with irreversible pulpitis: A randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: The study evaluates and compare the effect of 3% warm NaOCl with NaOCl at room temperature in root canal irrigation on postoperative pain. Materials and Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis in healthy 18-year-old patients and above were included. The sample consisted of 56 patients evaluating the postoperative pain, allocated randomly into 2 groups of 3% NaOCl at two different temperatures, i.e. at room temperature and at 60°C. Endodontic treatment was initiated for each group and instrumentation was done using MTwo rotary files. The final irrigation was performed according to the groups assigned. For each included tooth, preoperative and postoperative pain scores at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h were collected through the Heft Parker Visual Analog Scale. Statistical analysis was performed using independent t-test, Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Friedman test followed by Wilcoxon test. Results: The mean percentage reduction in pain scores was significantly higher among the warm NaOCl group as compared to the control group at different time intervals (P < 0.001). The mean number of analgesics taken was significantly lower among the warm NaOCl group as compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The warm NaOCl group recorded less postoperative pain than the control group during the first 72 h following single-visit endodontic therapy.

Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis Induces Increased Levels of Human NLRP3 in Gingival Crevicular Fluid Compared to Saliva: A Case Control Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: The goal of this case-control observational study was to compare the levels of the human nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain-containing-3 (NLRP3) protein in the saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP) and healthy controls. METHODS: The 16 patients in the control group were matched with the 16 patients in the SIP group to create a total of 32 patients. In addition to saliva, GCF (n = 48) samples were collected from the involved tooth (n = 16), contralateral tooth (n = 16), and adjacent tooth (n = 16) in the SIP group. Saliva and GCF were taken from the healthy group as a baseline. An independent t-test was used for statistical analysis. The random-intercept model was used to compare the average NLRP3 levels in the SIP tooth, adjacent tooth, and contralateral tooth taking age as a covariate, and the P value was adjusted using Bonferroni correction. RESULTS: There were significantly higher levels of NLRP3 in the saliva of SIP patients (1.78 ± 1.14 ng/ml) compared to the healthy control (0.70 ± 0.70 ng/ml) and in the GCF of the involved tooth (5.72 ± 0.63 ng/ml) compared to healthy people (1.60 ± 0.42 ng/ml) (P < .001). In SIP patients the mean difference of NLRP3 levels between SIP and contralateral teeth was significant at 4.13 ng/ml (95% confidence interval, 3.52-4.70 P < .001) and a mean difference between adjacent teeth and contralateral teeth was significant at 3.53 ng/ml [95% confidence interval, 2.94-4.12 P < .001]. The NLRP3 in GCF and saliva had a negative association in the affected tooth but a negligible correlation in healthy controls. CONCLUSION: The NLRP3 inflammasome has the potential to be employed as a molecular diagnostic biomarker for pulpal disorders.

Injectable and topical local anesthetics for acute dental pain: 2 systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: Local anesthesia is essential for pain control in dentistry. The authors assessed the comparative effect of local anesthetics on acute dental pain after tooth extraction and in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED: The authors searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the US Clinical Trials registry through November 21, 2020. The authors included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing long- vs short-acting injectable anesthetics to reduce pain after tooth extraction (systematic review 1) and evaluated the effect of topical anesthetics in patients with symptomatic pulpitis (systematic review 2). Pairs of reviewers screened articles, abstracted data, and assessed risk of bias using a modified version of the Cochrane risk of bias 2.0 tool. The authors assessed the certainty of the evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. RESULTS: Fourteen RCTs comparing long- vs short-acting local anesthetics suggest that bupivacaine may decrease the use of rescue analgesia and may not result in additional adverse effects (low certainty evidence). Bupivacaine probably reduces the amount of analgesic consumption compared with lidocaine with epinephrine (mean difference, -1.91 doses; 95% CI, -3.35 to -0.46; moderate certainty) and mepivacaine (mean difference, -1.58 doses; 95% CI, -2.21 to -0.95; moderate certainty). Five RCTs suggest that both benzocaine 10% and 20% may increase the number of people experiencing pain reduction compared with placebo when managing acute irreversible pulpitis (low certainty). PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Bupivacaine may be superior to lidocaine with epinephrine and mepivacaine with regard to time to and amount of analgesic consumption. Benzocaine may be superior to placebo in reducing pain for 20 through 30 minutes after application.