Evaluation of postoperative pain after endodontic treatment with foraminal enlargement and obturation using two auxiliary chemical protocols

Aim This prospective randomized clinical study examined the influence of two different auxiliary chemical substances on postoperative pain in 301 single-visit endodontic treatments, with enlargement of the apical foramen and extrusion of cement into the periapical region. Material and method The two auxiliary chemicals used were 2% chlorhexidine (2% CHX gel; n = 145) and 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (5.25% NaOCl; n = 156). The incidence of postoperative pain and discomfort was assessed at 24 hours and expressed as percentages. The Fisher exact test and the Chi-square test were used to compare variation in postoperative pain. The variables analyzed were previous pain, pulp status, age, and number of root canals. Result In teeth with previous pain instrumented with 2% CHX gel, the incidence of postoperative pain was 22.22% (6/27) versus 11.11% (3/22) in teeth instrumented with 5.25% NaOCl. In teeth without previous pain instrumented with 2% CHX gel, the incidence of postoperative pain was 8.5% (6/118) versus 2.33% (3/129) in teeth instrumented with 5.25% NaOCl, with no statistically significant difference between the groups. Results showed that previous pain had a significant influence on postoperative status (p