title: Postoperative pain after manual and mechanical glide path: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This prospective randomized clinical trial evaluated the incidence of postoperative pain after glide path performed with PathFile (PF) (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) versus stainless-steel K-file (KF).
  
  
  METHODS
  In 149 subjects, the mechanical glide path was performed with nickel-titanium (NiTi) rotary PF; in 146 subjects, the manual glide path was performed with stainless-steel KFs. Postoperative pain, analgesics consumption, and the number of days to complete pain resolution were evaluated in the following 7 days. An analysis of variance model for repeated measures was used to compare the variation of pain-scale values (P < .05). The Student's t test for continuous variables normally distributed, the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test for the nonnormally distributed variables, and the chi-square test for dichotomous variables were used (P < .05). Despite homogeneous baseline conditions at diagnosis, tooth type, pain prevalence, and scores, the postoperative pain prevalence curves in PF group evidenced a more favorable trend in terms of time to pain resolution compared with the KF group (P = .004). The difference was also evident in the model adjusted for analgesics consumption in both groups (P = .012). The mean analgesics intake per subject was significantly higher in the KF group (3.7 ± 2.2) compared with the PF group (2 ± 1.7) (P < .001). Mean pain stop values were also significantly higher in the KF group (2.7) compared with the PF group (1.7) (P = .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The glide path with NiTi Rotary PF leads to less postoperative pain and faster symptom resolution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, University of Turin Dental School, Turin, Italy. damianox@mac.com
authors.forename: Damiano
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pasqualini
authors.forename: Livio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mollo
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Scotti
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cantatore
authors.forename: Arnaldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castellucci
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Migliaretti
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Berutti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003722:Dental Alloys; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000473:pathology; D003790:Dental Pulp Necrosis / Q000628:therapy; D004867:Equipment Design; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009532:Nickel; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011671:Pulpitis / Q000628:therapy; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013193:Stainless Steel; D014025:Titanium; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D003722:Dental Alloys; C040654:titanium nickelide; D013193:Stainless Steel; D009532:Nickel; D014025:Titanium