Clinical trial of intracanal corticosteroid in root canal therapy

Corticosteroids have been reported to eliminate acute symptoms that result from endodontic therapy; however, critical controls were not used in these studies. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate in a double-blind manner the ability of intracanal corticosteroid to relieve postoperative pain during endodontic therapy. Three-hundred patients, (147 experimental, 133 control, and 20 nonevaluated) were treated with 2.5% Meticortelone or saline during nonsurgical root canal treatment. The intracanal medicament was applied to the instrumented canal with sterile paper points. The canal was then sealed with Cavit. The pain experience of the patient was recorded immediately before and 24 h after endodontic treatment. The corticosteroid was effective in significantly reducing the incidence of postoperative pain in teeth where vital pulp was present. However, when the where vital pulp was present. However, when the pulp was necrotic, the corticosteroid was ineffective in reducing the incidence of postoperative pain.