Objective: To determine the clinical efficacy of ultrasonic irrigation combined with epoxy resin-based sealer in single visit root canal treatment of chronic pulpitis.
Study design: Randomised controlled trial. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Stomatology, Hefei BOE Hospital, Hefei, China, from March 2019 to December 2021.
Methodology: Ninety patients with chronic pulpitis, comprising 104 affected teeth, were enrolled. Using a random number table, they were divided into Group A (n = 30, 35 teeth), Group B (n = 30, 35 teeth), and the control group (n = 30, 34 teeth). All underwent single visit root canal treatment. Group A received ultrasonic irrigation followed by sealing with epoxy resin-based paste; Group B had conventional syringe irrigation followed by the same sealing; the control group had syringe irrigation and closure with zinc oxide-eugenol paste. Pain during treatment, posttreatment clinical outcomes, and differences in inflammatory markers (IL-4, IL-6, hs-CRP), and quality of life (QOL) scores pre- and posttreatment over two months were observed.
Results: After the treatment, improvement rates for Groups A, B, and the control group were 91.4%, 65.7%, and 61.7%, respectively. Pain occurrence rates were 6.7%, 30.0%, and 36.7%, respectively. Group A outperformed both Group B and the control group in improvement and pain incidence with statistical significance (p<0.016). Posttreatment, Group A had lower IL-4, IL-6, hs-CRP levels than Groups B and the control group (p<0.05), and had higher scores for sleep, mood, and appetite (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Ultrasonic irrigation combined with epoxy resin-based paste yields better results for chronic pulpitis treatment, reducing postoperative pain, mitigating inflammation levels, and enhancing quality of life.
Key words: Chronic pulpitis, Ultrasonic irrigation, Epoxy resin paste, Root canal treatment, Therapeutic effect.