EVALUATION OF POST OPERATIVEPAIN INTENSITY ON PAIN SCALE FOLLOWING OCCLUSAL REDUCTION IN TEETH ASSOCIATED WITH SYMPTOMATIC APICAL PERIODONTITIS

Abstract

Objective:
To compare the postoperative pain score, in teeth with symptomatic apical periodontitis, with and without occlusal reduction.
Methodology:
This randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro with 75 patients in each group selected through non-probability, consecutive sampling. Patients between the age group 18 to 65 years, either gender, ASA status I, VAS pain score >3 with symptomatic apical periodontitis, were included and randomly assigned to Group A (Occlusal Reduction) and Group B (Non-Occlusal Reduction). VAS scores assessed postoperative pain at 12, 24, 48 hours, and 6 days. Tenderness to percussion was evaluated. SPSS was used for statistical analysis, with p ≤ 0.05 considered significant.
Results:
Pain scores were significantly lower in the occlusal reduction group (Group A) at 12 hours (8.40 ± 1.09 vs. 8.75 ± 1.01) and 6 days (2.32 ± 1.42 vs. 3.53 ± 1.70, p < 0.05) compared to the non-occlusal reduction group (Group B). Among 18–40 years, Group A had significantly lower pain at 12 hours (p=0.038) and 6 days (p=0.000), while in patients > 40 years, pain reduction was significant only at 6 days (p=0.005). By 6 days, pain was significantly lower in both males (p=0.002) and females (p=0.001) in Group A.
Conclusion:
This study concluded that occlusal reduction significantly reduces postoperative pain in symptomatic apical periodontitis, with a notable effect by day 6. The reduction was significantly high in younger and female patients. These findings support occlusal reduction as an effective strategy for minimizing post-endodontic pain.
Keywords:
Apical periodontitis, Endodontics, Occlusal reduction, Postoperative pain