Randomized controlled trial reveals occlusal reduction decreases early postoperative pain in mandibular molars, highlighting its benefit for moderate-to-severe baseline pain.
Key Points
To evaluate the effect of occlusal reduction on postoperative pain after single-visit root canal treatment in mandibular molars, stratified by preoperative pain intensity.
Enrolled 280 patients with irreversible pulpitis in mandibular molars, stratified into four groups by preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) scores (none, mild, moderate, severe).
Participants within each stratum were assigned via block randomization to receive either occlusal reduction (OR) or no occlusal reduction (NOR) during standardized single-visit endodontic treatment.
Postoperative pain scores were recorded on the VAS at 24 hours, 48 hours, and 1 week, and analyzed using chi-square tests (p ≤ 0.05).
Overall analysis revealed a statistically significant reduction in postoperative pain favoring the OR group at 48 hours compared with NOR (p ≤ 0.05).
Stratified analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in pain at 24 hours in the moderate preoperative pain group, with near-significant pain reduction in the severe pain group at both 24 hours and 48 hours.
Patients presenting with no pain or mild preoperative pain derived minimal pain-relief benefit from occlusal reduction.
Cite This Study
Kanesalingavelan et al. (2026) studied this question.