Effect of Back-Pressure Anesthesia on Postoperative Pain after the Endodontic Treatment in Patients with Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis: Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

INTRODUCTION: The present study evaluated the effect of 2 different back pressure-based supplemental anesthesia on postoperative pain in patients receiving endodontic treatment for a mandibular molar with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. METHODS: One-hundred-thirty-five adult patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpits in a mandibular first or second molar, received an initial inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) injection with 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine. Ten minutes following the injection, access to cavity preparation began. Lip numbness was a must for all patients. The Heft-Parker visual analogue scale (HP-VAS) was used to measure pain during endodontic therapy. Success of primary injections was defined as no or mild pain (less than 55 mm on HP-VAS) during access preparation. The patients with initial successful anesthesia served as control and received endodontic treatment. Ninety-five patients with unsuccessful primary anesthesia randomly received either intraligamentary injections of 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine or intrapulpal injections with similar anesthetic solution. Endodontic treatment was re-initiated and canals were instrumented till working length under copious irrigation. Intracanal medicament of calcium hydroxide was placed and teeth received a temporary restoration. Postoperative pain was measured at 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, 24 hours, and 3 days. Data were analyzed using the Pearson chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance, and one-way repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: The initial initial inferior alveolar nerve block was successful in 40 cases (out of 135). The intraligamentary injections were successful in 33 out of 47 cases (70%), and intrapulpal injections were successful in all cases (45/45). The patients receiving intraligamentary injections reported significantly higher pain scores at all intervals till 24 hours. After 3 days, the pain significantly reduced in all the groups with no significant difference between them. CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving supplementary intraligamentary injections can experience increased postoperative pain till 24 hours after the endodontic treatment. The pain scores reduced to the level of the control group after 3 days.

Effect of Intraligamentary Tramadol Hydrochloride on Anesthetic Success During Endodontic Management of Mandibular Molars: A Randomized Clinical Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Tramadol hydrochloride has shown local anesthetic properties similar to lidocaine, apart from a central analgesic effect. The present study evaluated the effect of the administration of tramadol alone or in addition to 2% lidocaine, as supplementary intraligamentary injections. METHODS: One hundred and five patients, with a failed primary inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB), were randomly allocated to one of the three supplementary intraligamentary groups: 2% lidocaine with 1: 80,000 epinephrine; tramadol hydrochloride (50 mg/mL); and 2% lidocaine with 1: 80,000 epinephrine plus tramadol hydrochloride. Patients received 1.2 mL doses (0.6 mL of each root). Patients reporting pain ≤54 on Heft Parker visual analogue scale (Heft-Parker VAS), were categorized as successful anesthesia. A finger pulse oximeter was used to measure the heart rates. The anesthetic success rates, gender, and type of tooth were compared using the Pearson chi-square test. The heart rates and age were statistically evaluated using the one-way analysis of variance test. The level of significance was set at 0.05 (p=0.05). RESULTS: The initial IANB was successful in 31% of cases. There were significant differences in the anesthetic success rates of different supplementary intraligamentary injections (χ2= 33.6, p<0.001, df=2). The 2% lidocaine-plus-tramadol resulted in significantly higher success rates than the two groups. There were no significant changes in the baseline heart rates of all groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The addition of tramadol to 2% lidocaine with 1: 80,000 epinephrine, given as supplementary intraligamentary injection, can help in achieving successful anesthesia during the endodontic management of mandibular molars with irreversible pulpitis resistant to IANB injections.

Effect of Laser Therapy on Postoperative Pain and Endodontic Retreatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Root canal re-treatment (RCR) cases are considered some of the most challenging cases in the field of endodontics, as they are mostly associated with various iatrogenic errors such as ledge formation, incomplete biomechanical preparation, file separation, and incomplete obturation. These iatrogenic errors lead to defective niches within root canals that may act as reservoirs for various viable microorganisms. Such residual microbial niches may cause postoperative pain even after thorough debridement and reshaping the canals, ultimately leading to a poor prognosis for the tooth. Nowadays, prevention of postoperative pain in re-treatment cases and prognosis are effectively managed by photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT). METHOD: Relevant studies in the English language published before November 2022 were identified using electronic databases like PubMed, SCOPUS, and EBSCO to conduct bibliographic research. This systematic review is based on 3 studies that were found eligible as per the inclusion and exclusion criteria. This systematic review is in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: The systematic review indicated a positive impact by significantly decreasing postoperative pain in RCR cases when treated with PBMT. The variation was statistically significant at 24 hours (P = .0002), 48 hours (P = .03), and 72 hours (P = .02). The mean difference at 24 hours was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.32-0.99), at 48 hours was 0.46 (95% CI, 0.05-0.87), and at 72 hours was 0.40 (95% CI, 0.07-0.74). There was no statistical heterogenicity at 24 hours (P > .05), but a medium heterogenicity was observed at 48 hours and 72 hours. PRACTICAL IMPLICATION: PBMT or low-level laser therapy has shown superior results as compared to the conventional pharmacologic approach in postoperative pain management in RCR cases.

Is caries prevalence site-specific in cleft lip and palate patients? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Previous systematic reviews indicate that there is an increased prevalence of caries in cleft patients in comparison to their healthy control group. To date, the prevalence of caries between unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) has not been quantitatively evaluated. This review aims to include published studies that examined caries prevalence in patients with UCLP and BCLP to find out whether a quantitative difference exists in caries experience among them. Materials and Methods: Medline/PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCOhost databases were searched from inception to November 2021. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO registration no. CRD2021292425. Prevalence-based studies that evaluated caries experience using the decayed-missing-filled teeth (DMFT) index in the permanent dentition or dmft in case of primary dentition in patients with UCLP or BCLP were included in the analysis with the outcome given in mean and standard deviation. Meta-analysis was performed using a random effect model through a forest plot. An adapted version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cross-sectional studies was modified to assess the quality of included studies. Results: Three studies were included in the review. The difference in caries prevalence was statistically significant in the permanent and primary dentition which were evaluated using DMFT and dmft scores with P = 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively. Forest plot values were obtained for permanent dentition (DMFT) and primary dentition (dmft), 0.57 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-0.11) and 0.36 (95% CI: 0.69-0.03), respectively. The result of the meta-analysis indicates that patients with BCLP have higher caries prevalence. Conclusion: The outcome of the study indicates a higher occurrence of caries in patients with BCLP than UCLP in both permanent and primary dentition.

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.

Left ventricular longitudinal systolic dysfunction in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Children with type one diabetes mellitus (T1DM) may have subclinical myocardial insults but large heterogeneity exists among the reports. This study aimed to compare myocardial strain values of the left ventricle (LV) in paediatric patients with T1DM without overt cardiac disease and healthy controls. METHODS: Five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane central register of controlled trials) were searched from inception to March 30, 2020. The studies reporting two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in asymptomatic T1DM paediatric patients and control groups were included. Pooled mean strain values in each group and mean difference (MD) between the two groups for LV global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) and LV global circumferential strain (LVGCS) were assessed using a random effects model. RESULTS: Ten studies (755 T1DM and 610 control) with LVGLS were included with 6 studies having LVGCS (534 T1DM and 403 control). Patients with T1DM had overall 3 percentage points lower LVGLS than healthy subjects (18.4 %, 95 % confidence interval [17.1, 19.6] vs 21.5 % [20.3, 22.7], MD = -3.01 [-4.30, -1.71]). A similar result was seen in LVGCS (18.7 % [15.4, 22.0] vs. 21.4 % [18.1, 24.6], MD = -3.10[-6.47, 0.26]) but not statistically significant. Meta-regression identified those with higher Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) had worse GLS. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical LV dysfunction among patients with T1DM occurs as early as in their childhood, while even EF is preserved. The longitudinal cardiac function is altered, but not the circumferential. GLS can be used to detect subclinical LV systolic dysfunction in paediatric population.

Elimination of Enterococcus faecalis from root canal system using laser-activated nanoparticles: a systematic review.

Elimination of Enterococcus faecalis is vital during root canal treatment. Owing to their antimicrobial properties, laser-activated nanoparticles (NPs) have been used in root canal irrigation in the recent past. The aim of this review is to conduct a qualitative analysis of the published data evaluating the antibacterial efficacy of laser-activated nanoparticles in the elimination of E. faecalis from the root canal system. Considering all the papers published till August 2022, a search of the databases PubMed, SCOPUS, and EBSCOhost was conducted. All the articles that were published in English were included. The review process was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. The risk of bias was assessed after the extraction of the data. After screening the distinguished 51 studies according to the inclusion criteria, five in vitro studies were included for the systematic review. A systematic review of the selected studies showed a positive impact on E. faecalis load reduction following irrigation with nanoparticles irradiated using lasers. Laser-activated nanoparticles have shown superior antibacterial efficacy compared to conventional irrigation techniques and may be used as an alternative for root canal disinfection.

Subclinical systolic dysfunction detected by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography in adults with diabetes mellitus: systematic review and meta-analysis of 6668 individuals with diabetes mellitus and 7218 controls.

PURPOSE: Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) can help to identify subclinical features of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). There is, however, significant heterogeneity in the reported strain values in literature. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare cardiac systolic strain values assessed by 2D-STE in asymptomatic adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) and healthy controls. METHODS: Five databases were searched, and a total of 41 valid studies (6668 individuals with DM and 7218 controls) were included for analysis. Pooled mean in each group and mean difference (MD) for left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS), LV global circumferential strain (LVGCS), LV global radial strain (LVGRS), LV longitudinal systolic strain rate (LVSR), left atrial reservoir strain (LARS) and right ventricular GLS (RVGLS) were assessed. RESULTS: Patients with DM had overall 2 units lower LVGLS than healthy subjects 17.5% [16.8, 18.3], vs 19.5 [18.7, 20.4], MD = - 1.96 [- 2.27, - 1.64]. Other strain values were also lower in patients with DM: LVGCS (MD = - 0.89 [- 1.26, - 0.51]); LVGRS (MD = - 5.03 [- 7.18, - 2.87]); LVSR (MD = - 0.06 [- 0.10, - 0.03]); LARS (MD = - 8.41 [- 11.5, - 5.33]); and RVGLS (MD = - 2.41 [- 3.60, - 1.22]). Meta-regression identified higher body mass index (BMI) as the single contributor to worse LVGLS, LVGCS and LVSR. Those with higher Hemoglobulin A1c had worse RVGLS. CONCLUSION: Myocardial strains were reduced in whole heart in patients with DM. The largest reduction was observed in LA reservoir strain, followed by RVGLS and LVGLS. Higher BMI in patients with DM is associated with worse LV strain values.

Erratum: Addendum: Addition of 2 mg dexamethasone to improve the anesthetic efficacy of 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine administered for inferior alveolar nerve block to patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis in the mandibular molars: a randomized double-blind clinical trial.

[This corrects the article on p. 305 in vol. 22, PMID: 35991360.].

Effect of Cooling of Lidocaine with Epinephrine on the Anesthetic Success of Supplementary Intraligamentary Injection after a Failed Primary Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this prospective, randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of cooling a 2% lidocaine solution with 1: 200,000 epinephrine, administered as a supplementary intraligamentary injection to overcome a failed primary inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB). METHODS: The study was preceded by a pilot study to evaluate the anesthetic efficacy of plain lidocaine solutions given as intraligamentary injections. In the subsequent randomized clinical trial, one hundred and thirty-eight patients received IANB with 2% lidocaine with 1: 80,000 epinephrine for endodontic man- agement of a mandibular molar with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Eighty-eight patients reported pain greater than 54 mm on a visual analog scale (Heft-Parker VAS) were categorized as unsuccessful anesthesia. These patients received either of the following intraligamentary injections: 2% lidocaine with 1: 200,000 epinephrine at room temperature; or 2% lidocaine with 1: 200,000 epinephrine at 4°C. Anes- thetic success was again evaluated after re-initiation of the endodontic treatment. The heart rates of the patients were measured using a finger pulse oximeter. The categorical success rates were statistically analyzed with the Pearson chi-square test at 5% significance levels. The heart rate measurements were analyzed using a t-test. RESULTS: The intraligamentary injections with anesthetic solutions at room temperature presented a suc- cess rate of 59.1%, while the injections with a solution at 4°C gave a success rate of 52.27%. There were no significant differences between the success rates of the groups (χ2=0.41, p=0.52). Regarding the heart rates, there were no differences between the two solutions at baseline (T=1.2, p=0.2) or after injections (T=0.64, p=0.52). CONCLUSION: Reducing the temperature of 2% lidocaine with 1: 200,000 epinephrine to 4°C does not affect the anesthetic efficacy of supplemental intraligamentary injections, given after a failed primary IANB. (EEJ-2023-03-044).

Addition of 2 mg dexamethasone to improve the anesthetic efficacy of 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine administered for inferior alveolar nerve block to patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis in the mandibular molars: a randomized double-blind clinical trial.

Introduction: This clinical trial aimed to evaluate the anesthetic effect of the addition of 2 mg (4 mg/ml) of dexamethasone to 2% lidocaine (plain or with 1:80,000 epinephrine). The solutions were injected for a primary inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) to provide mandibular anesthesia for the endodontic treatment of mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Methods: In a double-blinded setup, 124 patients randomly received either of the following injections: 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine, 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine mixed with 2 mg dexamethasone, or plain 2% lidocaine mixed with 2 mg dexamethasone, which were injected as a primary IANB. Ten minutes after injection, patients with profound lip numbness underwent electric and thermal pulp sensibility tests. Patients who responded positively to the tests were categorized as "failed" anesthesia and received supplemental anesthesia. The remaining patients underwent endodontic treatment using a rubber dam. Anesthetic success was defined as "no pain or faint/weak/mild pain" during endodontic access preparation and instrumentation (HP visual analog scale score < 55 mm). The effect of the anesthetic solutions on the maximum change in heart rate was also evaluated. The Pearson chi-square test at 5% and 1% significance was used to analyze anesthetic success rates. Results: The 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine, 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine mixed with 2 mg dexamethasone, and plain 2% lidocaine mixed with 2 mg dexamethasone groups had anesthetic success rates of 34%, 59%, and 29%, respectively. The addition of dexamethasone resulted in significantly better results (P < 0.001, χ2 = 9.07, df = 2). Conclusions: The addition of dexamethasone to 2% lidocaine with epinephrine, administered as an IANB, can improve the anesthetic success rates during the endodontic management of symptomatic mandibular molars with irreversible pulpitis.

Influence of vehicle for calcium hydroxide on postoperative pain: a scoping review.

This review aims to identify the influence of the vehicle and its concentration used to carry calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) medicament on postoperative pain. The protocol for this review was registered in the open science framework (Registration DOI-10.17605/OSF.IO/4Y8A9) and followed the guidelines provided by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Reporting was based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Literature screening and searches were performed on PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and EBSCO hosts. Furthermore, additional records were manually analyzed using various sources. The selected studies were published in English and included the use of any vehicle adjunct to Ca(OH)2 to evaluate postoperative pain using qualitative and quantitative pain assessment tools. Descriptive analysis was conducted to review the study design, vehicle elements, and their effects. A preliminary search yielded 7584 studies, of which 10 were included. According to the data collected, the most commonly used Ca(OH)2 vehicles were chlorhexidine (CHX), normal saline, and camphorated paramonochlorophenol/glycerine (CPMC/glycerine), which had a significant effect on postoperative pain. Among the included studies, six evaluated the effect of CHX as a vehicle. It was observed that a higher concentration of the vehicle (2%) showed a favorable response in reducing postoperative pain. A majority of studies have validated a positive consequence of using a vehicle on postoperative pain. Although higher vehicle concentrations were found to alter postoperative pain levels, the data were insufficient to draw a firm conclusion. Our scoping review indicates that further clinical studies should focus on using different vehicles at various concentrations and application times to check for feasible and safe exposure in addition to providing pain relief.

Comparison of healing assessments of periapical endodontic surgery using conventional radiography and cone-beam computed tomography: A systematic review.

Purpose: This systematic review aimed to compare assessments of the healing of periapical endodontic surgery using conventional radiography and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: This review of clinical studies was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. All articles published from 1990 to March 2020 pertaining to clinical and radiographic healing assessments after endodontic surgery using conventional radiography and CBCT were included. The question was "healing assessment of endodontic surgery using cone-beam computed tomography." The review was conducted by manual searching, as well as undertaking a review of electronic literature databases, including PubMed and Scopus. The studies included compared radiographic and CBCT assessments of periapical healing after periapical endodontic surgery. Results: The initial search retrieved 372 articles. The titles and abstracts of these articles were read, leading to the selection of 73 articles for full-text analysis. After the eligibility criteria were applied, 11 articles were selected for data extraction and qualitative analysis. The majority of studies found that CBCT enabled better assessments of healing than conventional radiography, suggesting higher efficacy of CBCT for correct diagnosis and treatment planning. A risk of bias assessment was done for 10 studies, which fell into the low to moderate risk categories. Conclusion: Three-dimensional radiography provides an overall better assessment of healing, which is imperative for correct diagnosis and treatment planning.

Anesthetic efficacy of supplemental intraligamentary injection in human mandibular teeth with irreversible pulpitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) is known to have a lower success rate for anesthesia in patients with irreversible pulpitis. This calls for supplementary techniques to effectively anesthetize such patients. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the published literature for determining the success rate of anesthesia induction using post-IANB intraligamentary (IL) injection in the mandibular teeth of patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. The review question was, "What is the success rate of IL injection in the mandibular teeth of patients with irreversible pulpitis as a supplementary technique for endodontic treatment?" METHODS: A thorough search of electronic databases and manual searches were performed. The protocol of the review was framed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist and was registered in the International Prospective Register of Ongoing Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with a proper criterion for inclusion and exclusion of studies. The included studies were analyzed using the Cochrane Collaboration ''Risk of Bias'' tool. A meta-analysis that included a comparison of primary nerve block and supplemental IL injection was performed. The success rate was evaluated using the combined risk ratio (RR) with a random risk model. A funnel plot was created to measure publication bias. RESULTS: After all analyses, four studies were included. In the forest plot representation, RRs were 3.56 (95% CI: 2.86, 4.44), which were in favor of the supplemental IL injections. Statistical heterogeneity was found to be 0%. These values suggest that supplemental IL injections provide better success rates for anesthesia. CONCLUSION: According to the pooled qualitative and quantitative analyses, supplemental IL injections increased anesthetic efficacy.

Comparative evaluation of the force required to fracture coronal segments reattached using different methods.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Anterior teeth are prone to traumatic injuries. Their management is necessary in order to maintain the pulp and esthetics. Various methods have been reported for fragment reattachment of fractured teeth but there is no consensus on which is the best technique. The aim of this study was to compare the force required to fracture reattached fragments using polyethylene fibers in vertical grooves on the external surface of teeth, fiber-reinforced composite post and circumferential chamfer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-eight extracted maxillary central incisors were sectioned using a disk and randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 12): Group 1: control group, Group 2: reattachment followed by placement of two external vertical grooves on the labial surface and restored with polyethylene fibers and hybrid composite, Group 3: reattachment followed by two external vertical grooves and filled with fiber posts and composite, and Group 4: reattachment followed by circumferential chamfer at the fracture line and restored with composite. The forces required to fracture the reattached fragments were measured using a Universal testing machine. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Pairwise multiple comparison procedure was done using the Student-Newman-Keuls Method. RESULTS: The highest values for force required to fracture were observed in the fiber post group and the lowest in the Ribbond group (p < .05). The fiber post group had significantly different results compared to the Ribbond and Chamfer preparation groups (p < .05). However, the difference of rank between the fiber post and control groups was not significantly different (p > .05). CONCLUSION: The force required to fracture the fiber post group was closest to that of intact teeth followed by the chamfer and Ribbond groups, respectively.

Three-Dimensional Global Left Ventricular Myocardial Strain Reduced in All Directions in Subclinical Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background Three-dimensional (3D) speckle tracking echocardiography can identify subclinical diabetic cardiomyopathy without geometric assumption and loss of speckle from out-of-plane motions. There is, however, significant heterogeneity among the previous reports. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare 3D strain values between adults with asymptomatic, subclinical diabetes mellitus (ie, patients with diabetes mellitus without known clinical manifestations of cardiac disease) and healthy controls. Methods and Results After systematic review of 5 databases, 12 valid studies (544 patients with diabetes mellitus and 489 controls) were eligible for meta-analysis. Pooled means and mean difference (MD) using a random-effects model for 3D global longitudinal, circumferential, radial, and area strain were calculated. Patients with diabetes mellitus had an overall 2.31 percentage points lower 3D global longitudinal strain than healthy subjects (16.6%, 95% CI, 15.7-17.6 versus 19.0; 95% CI, 18.2-19.7; MD, -2.31, 95% CI, -2.72 to -2.03). Similarly, 3D global circumferential strain (18.9%; 95% CI, 17.5-20.3 versus 20.5; 95% CI, 18.9-22.1; MD, -1.50; 95% CI, -2.09 to -0.91); 3D global radial strain (44.6%; 95% CI, 40.2-49.1 versus 48.2; 95% CI, 44.7-51.8; MD, -3.47; 95% CI, -4.98 to -1.97), and 3D global area strain (30.5%; 95% CI, 29.2-31.8 versus 32.4; 95% CI, 30.5-34.3; MD, -1.76; 95% CI, -2.74 to -0.78) were also lower in patients with diabetes mellitus. Significant heterogeneity was noted between studies for all strain directions (inconsistency factor [I2], 37%-78%). Meta-regression in subgroup analysis of studies using the most popular vendor found higher prevalence of hypertension as a significant contributor to worse 3D global longitudinal strain. Higher hemoglobulin A1c was the most significant contributor to worse 3D global circumferential strain in patients with diabetes mellitus. Conclusions Three-dimensional myocardial strain was reduced in all directions in asymptomatic diabetic patients. Hypertension and hemoglobin A1c were associated with worse 3D global longitudinal strain and 3D global circumferential strain, respectively. Registration URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero; unique identifier: CRD42020197825.

Anesthetic efficacy of primary and supplemental buccal/lingual infiltration in patients with irreversible pulpitis in human mandibular molars: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Achieving profound anesthesia in mandibular molars with irreversible pulpitis is a tedious task. This review aimed at evaluating the success of buccal/lingual infiltrations administered with a primary inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) injection or as a supplemental injection after the failure of the primary injection in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with irreversible pulpitis in human mandibular molars. The review question was "What will be the success of primary and supplemental infiltration injection in the endodontic treatment of patients with irreversible pulpitis in human mandibular molars?" We searched electronic databases, including Pubmed, Scopus, and Ebsco host and we did a comprehensive manual search. The review protocol was framed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist. We included clinical studies that evaluated and compared the anesthetic outcomes of primary IANB with primary and/or supplementary infiltration injections. Standard evaluation of the included studies was performed and suitable data and inferences were assessed. Twenty-six studies were included, of which 13 were selected for the meta-analysis. In the forest plot representation of the studies evaluating infiltrations, the combined risk ratio (RR) was 1.88 (95% CI: 1.49, 2.37), in favor of the secondary infiltrations with a statistical heterogeneity of 77%. The forest plot analysis for studies comparing primary IANB + infiltration versus primary IANB alone showed a low heterogeneity (0%). The included studies had similar RRs and the combined RR was 1.84 (95% CI: 1.44, 2.34). These findings suggest that supplemental infiltrations given along with a primary IANB provide a better success rate. L'Abbe plots were generated to measure the statistical heterogeneity among the studies. Trial sequential analysis suggested that the number of patients included in the analysis was adequate. Based on the qualitative and quantitative analyses, we concluded that the infiltration technique, either as a primary injection or as a supplementary injection, given after the failure of primary IANB, increases the overall anesthetic efficacy.

Effect of intracanal cryotherapy on postendodontic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

This systematic review aimed to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of cryotherapy in the reduction of postendodontic pain. The review question was, "What will be the success rate of cryotherapy technique among human patients with postendodontic pain?". The review protocol was framed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Six studies were included in the review, and quantification of five studies was performed through a meta-analysis. In the forest plot representation of the studies comparing the control and cryotherapy groups in terms of the success rate in the management of postendodontic pain, the combined risk ratio (RR) was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.56 to 1.13) with a P value of 0.20. Based on the quantitative analysis, it can be suggested that intracanal cryotherapy does not play a significant role in reducing postendodontic pain.

Preoperative Intraligamentary Injection of Dexamethasone Can Improve the Anesthetic Success Rate of 2% Lidocaine during the Endodontic Management of Mandibular Molars with Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this randomized, double-blind clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of preoperative administration of intraligamentary injections of diclofenac sodium and dexamethasone on the anesthetic efficacy of 2% lidocaine given as an inferior alveolar nerve block in the endodontic management of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. METHODS: One hundred seventeen patients randomly received 1 of the 3 intraligamentary injections before the endodontic treatment: 0.9% normal saline, 25 mg/mL diclofenac sodium, or 4 mg/mL dexamethasone. After 30 minutes, patients received an inferior alveolar nerve block with 2% lidocaine and 1:80,000 epinephrine. The teeth were tested with electric pulp testing after 10 minutes. In case of a positive response, the anesthesia was considered as "failed." If the electric test response was negative, a rubber dam was applied, and endodontic treatment was started. Any pain during the treatment was recorded. The anesthesia was considered successful if the patients experienced no pain or faint/weak/mild pain during root canal access preparation and instrumentation (Heft-Parker visual analog scale score <55 mm). The effect of intraligamentary injections on maximum heart rates was also recorded. The anesthetic success rates were analyzed with the Pearson chi-square test at 5% significance. RESULTS: The control, diclofenac sodium, and dexamethasone groups had anesthetic success rates of 32%, 37%, and 73%, respectively. Dexamethasone was significantly more successful than the control and diclofenac sodium groups (P < .001, χ22 = 14.7). There were no differences between the control and diclofenac groups (P > .05). All the solutions did not significantly affect heart rates. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of an intraligamentary injection of dexamethasone before endodontic intervention of mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis increases the success rates of an inferior alveolar nerve block with 2% lidocaine.