Many patients suffer from mild, moderate or severe
pain during or after
root canal therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of supraperiosteal injection of
dexamethasone into the periapical tissues to prevent
postoperative pain associated with
inflammation. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 100 patients with moderate or severe
pain who were referred to dental school of Tehran Islamic Azad University participated in this study. All patients had a tooth with clinical diagnosis of irreversible
pulpitis. After administration of local anaesthesia, access cavity was prepared. Then, the root canals were instrumented to a minimum of a No. 25 K-file. One millilitre
dexamethasone (8 mg 2 mL(-1)) or placebo was injected around the tooth. The severity of
pain was assessed with regard to a modified visual analogue scale after 6, 12, 24 and 48 h. The data was analysed statistically with chi-square test.
Dexamethasone was considerably effective on controlling the severity of
pain during the first 24 h; in contrast, there was no difference between
dexamethasone and placebo groups 48 h after the first appointment. A single dose of
dexamethasone infiltrated around the apex of a tooth with irreversible
pulpitis could be effective in reduction or prevention of postoperative endodontic
pain during the first 24 h.