Emergency pulpotomy in relieving acute dental pain among Tanzanian patients.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

In Tanzania, oral health services are mostly in the form of dental extractions aimed at alleviating acute dental pain. Conservative methods of alleviating acute dental pain are virtually non-existent. Therefore, it was the aim of this study to determine treatment success of emergency pulpotomy in relieving acute dental pain.

METHODS:

SETTING:

School of Dentistry, Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

STUDY DESIGN:

Longitudinal study.

PARTICIPANTS:

180 patients who presented with dental pain due to acute irreversible pulpitis during the study period between July and August 2001. Treatment and evaluation: Patients were treated by emergency pulpotomy on permanent posterior teeth and were evaluated for pain after one, three and six week's post-treatment. Pain, if present, was categorised as either mild or acute.

RESULTS:

Of the patients with treated premolars, 25 (13.9%) patients did not experience pain at all while 19 (10.6%) experienced mild pain. None of the patients with treated premolars experienced acute pain. Among 136 patients with treated molars 56 (31%) did not experience any pain, 76 (42.2%) experienced mild pain and the other 4 (2.2%) suffered acute pain.

CONCLUSION:

The short term treatment success of emergency pulpotomy was high being 100% for premolars and 97.1% for molars, suggesting that it can be recommended as a measure to alleviate acute dental pain while other conservative treatment options are being considered.

• Authors: Joachim W Nyerere, Mecky I Matee, Elison N M Simon
• Journal: BMC oral health (BMC Oral Health) Vol. 6 Pg. 1 (Jan 21 2006) ISSN: 1472-6831 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 16426455 (Publication Type: Journal Article)