Effect of an 810 nm diode laser on postoperative pain after single-visit root canal treatment in teeth with apical periodontitis: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of an 810-nm diode laser following chemo-mechanical preparation of the root canals on the intensity of postoperative pain (PP) after root canal treatment (RCT). METHODOLOGY: This study focused on asymptomatic maxillary premolar teeth with a periapical index score of 3. A total of sixty patients were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 30 each): a laser group and a control group. All patients underwent single-visit RCT. Following final irrigation and drying of the canals, active laser irradiation was applied in the laser group. PP levels were assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale at 24 h, 48 h, and 7 days. The data were analyzed statistically using the Chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U-test (P < 0.05). RESULTS: The mean pain intensity in the control group was found to be significantly greater than that in the laser group at both 48 h and 7 days (P < 0.05). In both groups, the levels of PP 24 h after the treatment were significantly higher than after 7 days of the treatment (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The use of a diode laser effectively minimizes PP and enhances patient comfort following endodontic treatment.