Analgesic Effect of Odontopaste and a Compound Intracanal Medicament Between Root Canal Therapy Appointments

BACKGROUND: Pain experience makes a serious anxiety for both patient and clinician before and after root canal treatment. Pain is a complex psychophysiologic phenomenon. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this randomized control trial study was to evaluate the analgesic effect of Odontopaste® and a corticosteroid containing compound medicament between root canal therapy appointments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty lower first and second mandibular molars with spontaneous pain and sensitivity to percussion were selected and divided into three groups (40 patients per each group). After root canal preparation, patients were entered one of these groups randomly. Root canals in group 1 were dressed with Odontopaste, in group 2 with a compound intracanal medicament, and in group 3 with placebo. Patients determined their pain rate and percussion sensitivity on Heft-parker VAS diagram, before the first appointment and 24 hours and 7 days after that. RESULTS: Spontaneous pain and Percussion sensitivity score averages of 24 hours after the first appointment in group 1 and group 2 were less than group 3, which indicates statistically significant difference between these groups. There was no statistically significant difference between these groups after 7 days neither on spontaneous pain nor percussion sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: Odontopaste® and compound intracanal medicaments resulted in statistically significant reduction in postoperative pain and percussion sensitivity after 24 hours, but there was no statistically significant difference after 7 days with placebo.