Comparison of Post Instrumentation Pain Score in Irreversible Pulpitis with Occlusal Reduction Versus No Occlusal Reduction

ain of endodontic origin is feared by patient and may present management difficulties for the treating clinician. Endodontic pain may occur before, during or even after the tooth is treated. It is managed accordingly.1 The reported prevalence of pain during endodontic treatment may vary between 3 and 58%.2,3 The reason of large variations in pain prevalence may be due to many factors. These include age and gender of patients, trauma to pulpal or periradicular tissues by mechanical or chemical way, microbiological factors, instrumentation techniques, percussion sensitivity before root canal therapy and the type of intracanal materials.2-6 Several techniques are in use for controlling pain in root canal therapy. These include use of analgesics preoperatively and corticosteroids use, use of anesthetics and reducing the occlusal surface of tooth.2-4,6-8,15 Reducing the occlusal surface of tooth is easy procedure to reduce endodontic treatment pain.4,16-18 Several studies have investigated the outcome of reducing the occlusal surface of tooth on pain during root canal therapy.2-4,6,9 Zaman H and Ahmed SS reported that mean post instrumentation pain score was significantly less in occlusal reduction group than non-occlusal reduction group.9 Similarly a local study by Sheikh et al concluded that mean post instrumentation pain was significantly less after occlusal reduction.4 Parirokh et al reported no major difference statistically on postoperative pain with or without occlusal reduction.3 Similarly a local study by Asghar et al concluded no major difference statistically on postoperative pain with or without occlusal reduction.2 It is evident from the discussion of published literature that there is a lack of consensus about the need for routine occlusal reduction after endodontic therapy. Similarly, 1. Senior Demonstrator, Department of operative dentistry, Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore. 2. Assiciate Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry, Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore. 3. Professor, Head of Department, Operative Dentistry, Dow Dental College, Karachi Corresponding author: “Dr. Muhammad Talha Khan”