(PR112) Expected and Experienced Pain Before and After Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy (RCT) is a commonly performed dental procedure. According to a systematic review, 55.7% of the global population has had at least one root canal treatment. Despite its effectiveness, RCT is frequently associated with significant fear, anxiety, and pain, often leading patients to avoid necessary treatment and to elect for an extraction instead. This heightened distress contributes to negative psychological impacts, making the experience of RCT more daunting compared to other dental procedures. Additionally, there is a strong relation between preoperative anxiety and the perception of pain during the procedure. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between anxiety, fear, and pain immediately before and after RCT in adult patients. There were 12 adult patients (6 men and 6 women; M age = 43.9 years) who volunteered and were consented to participate. Likert-type (0-10) ratings of pain were reported by patients with a tablet computer chairside using REDCap. Patients rated their level of pain before treatment, the level of pain they expect to experience during treatment and the level of pain they experienced during treatment. A within-subjects Analysis of Variance revealed that pain reports varied among these three ratings, with the greatest rating being the expected pain during treatment, and the lowest rating being level of pain experienced during treatment, F (2,22) = 3.78, p = .039. Ratings of pain were highly related to those of anxiety. In conclusion, patient’s expectations and psychological status can affect their perception of pain and experience during endodontic therapy.