Relationship between post-preparation pain and apical patency: a randomized clinical trial

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to compare the post-preparation pain experience following root canal preparation with or without achieving and maintaining apical patency during root canal preparation. Root canal preparation was completed in the first visit for eighty patients. The patients were divided randomly into two groups where patency was either established and maintained during preparation or not. Pain was recorded before treatment, 6,12,18,24 and 48 hours after treatment. Patients assessed their severity of pain over the first two days following root canal preparation using a modified visual analog scale of [0-9]. Our results showed that no significant difference was found between the two groups. No significant difference was found between the two groups studied. No significance was found between all the previous preoperative clinical and radiographic findings and post-preparation pain, except preoperative pain. Apical patency did not increase the post preparation pain significantly