title: Postoperative pain in multiple-visit and single-visit root canal treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of the present study was to evaluate postoperative pain after root canal treatment at the Department of Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Khartoum, Sudan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred thirty-four patients were included in this study; age range was 18-62 years. Conventional endodontic treatment was carried out in the included teeth by the undergraduate dental students in a single visit or multiple visits. The chemomechanical preparation of root canals was done by a modified double-flared technique with combination of hand instruments. Postoperative pain was recorded by each patient by using visual analogue scale in well-defined categories at 2 time intervals, 12 hours and 24 hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were analyzed with the chi(2) test. The overall incidence of postoperative pain was 9.0% after 12 hours and 24 hours. Postoperative pain developed in 15.9% of the patients with history of preoperative pain, whereas 7.1% had postoperative pain among those without history of preoperative pain. There was no significant difference in postoperative pain between single-visit and multiple-visit root canal treatment (RCT).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the limitations of the present study there was a low incidence of postoperative pain after conventional RCT. No significant difference exists in postoperative pain after single-visit or multiple-visit RCT.
authors.affiliation: Conservative Dentistry Division, Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
authors.forename: Abdel Hameed H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: El Mubarak
authors.forename: Neamat H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Abu-bakr
authors.forename: Yahia E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D013397:Sudan; D055815:Young Adult