Incidence and Factors Related to Endodontic Flare Up - A 1-year Retrospective Study

Background: Endodontic flare up is a common complication of endodontic treatment that results from acute exacerbation of pulpal and peri-radicular pathosis; leading to unscheduled emergency visits that is disturbing for both clinicians and patients. Flare up causes are multifactorial that includes microbial, host, chemical and mechanical factors. Objective: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the incidence and identify risk factors of flare up in a multispecialty dental and maxillofacial center over a period of one year from February 2019 to February 2020. Methods: Data was collected from 323 teeth belonging to 272 patients that completed their root canal treatment on multiple sessions during the evaluation period. The samples were classified based on inclusion criteria and variables according to teeth type; age; sex; pulpal and periapical pathosis; presence of intracanal medication between visits; and absence of coronal seal. Results: The incidence of flare up was 122(38%), the evaluated variables did not show statistical significance in any of the evaluated parameters. Conclusion: The incidence of flare up is widely diverse and may be due to a variety of reasons; and therefore, the management of flare up in each dental facility is different and varies according to their setup; number of clinicians and specialists available. Continuous training and skills improvement for clinician in charge of managing emergency patients with flare up is highly recommended.