Postoperative pain and one year follow up success rate of warm vertical compaction, single cone, coneless and bioconeless obturation methods

Aim The aim of this study is to evaluate the post-operative pain after one week and the success rate of different endodontic obturation methods after one year follow-up. 

Materials and methods Forty teeth were selected and randomly assigned to 4 groups. In group A teeth were treated using warm vertical compaction with gutta-percha and zinc oxide eugenol sealer, in group B the single cone technique was performed in association with a bioceramic sealer, in group C obturation was performed with thermoplastic guttapercha injection with bioceramic sealer (bioconeless technique), in group D teeth were treated with thermoplasticized gutta-percha injection with zinc-oxide-eugenol sealer (coneless technique). At the end of each procedure, a periapical radiograph was taken to assess the filling and a form was given to each patient to record analgesic intake.  

Results After 1 week, in group A the analgesic intake was 3.1±1.9 and 10/10 patients referred pain to percussion; in group B the analgesic intake was 1±1.5; with 2/10 patients referring pain to percussion; in group C analgesic intake was 0.8±0.9 with 1/10 patients having pain to percussion; in group D the analgesic intake was 3±1.2 with 9/10 patients with pain to percussion. The data reported a significantly higher value of analgesic intake for the warm vertical compaction technique versus the single cone (p<0.05) and bioconeless (p<0.05); moreover, the coneless technique was associated with significantly higher analgesic intake versus single cone (p<0.05) and bioconeless (p<0.05) techniques. At the 1 year follow up the success rate was 100% for all groups.

Conclusion The results of this study show less post-operative pain and less analgesic intake associated with bioceramic sealer compared to the zinc oxide eugenol-based sealer.