Dexamethasone Treatment for Patients Undergoing Endodontics

NCT06906315 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: PHASE4 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 82

Last updated 2025-04-04

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This Phase IV randomized clinical trial (RCT) evaluated the efficacy of preoperative administration of a single 4 mg oral dose of dexamethasone in reducing postoperative pain and inflammation following endodontic treatment. Conducted at the Department of Endodontics, PhD Program, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Salamanca, the study included 82 participants who were randomly assigned to either the test group (preoperative dexamethasone) or the control group (postoperative ibuprofen 400 mg every 4 hours).

Pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively. Results indicated significantly lower pain perception in the dexamethasone group compared to the ibuprofen group at all time points, with the majority of dexamethasone-treated patients reporting only mild pain. No adverse effects were observed in either group, and no patient required additional rescue analgesia.

The findings suggest that a single preoperative dose of dexamethasone is a safe and effective strategy for managing postoperative pain in endodontic procedures, providing superior analgesia compared to the standard postoperative ibuprofen regimen.

Keywords: Endodontic pain, dexamethasone, preoperative analgesia, randomized clinical trial, inflammation control, corticosteroids, endodontics.

Conditions

  • Endodontic Treatment
  • Pulp Necrosis
  • Periapical Lesions
  • Postoperative Pain

Interventions

DRUG

Dexamethasone 4 mg

Participants in this group received a single 4 mg oral dose of dexamethasone 1 hour before undergoing endodontic treatment. No additional preoperative analgesics were administered. Standard endodontic procedures, including local anesthesia, were performed. Post-treatment, no routine analgesic medication was provided unless additional pain relief was required. Pain intensity was assessed at 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative dexamethasone in controlling postoperative pain and inflammation.

DRUG

Ibuprofen group

Participants in this group received no preoperative medication but were prescribed 400 mg of ibuprofen every 4 hours postoperatively for pain management. The same standard endodontic procedures were performed. Pain levels were recorded at 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours using the VAS scale to compare the effectiveness of postoperative ibuprofen with preoperative dexamethasone.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Salamanca

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Javier Flores- Fraile Supervisor PI, PhD in Surgery and Dentistry · University of Salamanca

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
20 Years
Max Age
50 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2024-11-04
Primary Completion
2024-12-27
Completion
2025-01-31

Countries

  • Spain

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06906315 on ClinicalTrials.gov