A comparison of oral health-related quality of life and satisfaction among patients undergoing root canal treatment or tooth extraction - A prospective controlled cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of root canal treatment on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) in general dental practice and compare it with tooth extraction. Additionally, patient satisfaction following tooth-preserving treatment was assessed.

Material and methods: In all, 65 patients were recruited from 6 general dental clinics in Västra Götaland over 8 weeks, with 37 starting root canal treatment and 28 having extractions. Questionnaires, including Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) and 9 questions assessing patient satisfaction, were administered at treatment initiation, and at 1, 6, and 12 months. The responses from both modalities were analysed using descriptive and analytical statistical methods.  Results: The response rate ranged from 73.8% to 92.3%. Regarding OHRQoL, differences between the groups were few compared to baseline. However, significant improvements were observed in the extraction group at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups, in the 'total score', and the dimensions 'pain', 'discomfort', and 'handicap'. Patient satisfaction was generally high, with cost being the least satisfactory item. Pain intensity remained consistently low.

Conclusions: In this prospective cohort study few differences were found between the two treatment modalities. However, significant improvements were observed in the extraction group in several dimensions. The patient satisfaction regarding root canal treatment was considered high.