This equivalence, randomized, clinical trial aimed to compare the postoperative pain of root canal therapy (RCT) with pulpotomy with mineral trioxide aggregate (PMTA) or calcium-enriched mixture (PCEM) in permanent mature teeth. In seven academic centers, 550 cariously exposed pulps were included and randomly allocated into PMTA (n = 188), PCEM (n = 194), or RCT (n = 168) arms. Preoperative “Pain Intensity” (PI) on Numerical Rating Scale and postoperative PIs until day 7 were recorded. Patients’ demographic and pre-/intra-/postoperative factors/conditions were recorded/analysed. The arms were homogeneous in terms of demographics. The mean preoperative PIs were similar (P=0.998), the mean sum PIs recorded during 10 postoperative intervals were comparable (P=0.939), and the trend/changes in pain relief were parallel (P=0.821) in all study arms. The incidences of preoperative moderate-severe pain in RCT, PMTA, and PCEM arms were 56.5%, 55.7%, and 56.7%, which after 24 hours considerably decreased to 13.1%, 10.6%, and 12.9%, respectively (P=0.578). The time span of endodontic procedures was statistically different; RCT = 69.73, PMTA = 35.37, and PCEM = 33.62 minutes (P<0.001). Patients with greater preoperative pain, symptomatic apical periodontitis, or presence of PDL widening suffered more pain (P=0.002, 0.035, and 0.023, resp.); however, other pre-/intra-/postoperative factors/conditions were comparable. Pulpotomy with MTA/CEM and RCT demonstrate comparable and effective postoperative pain relief.

Background: Self-medication is a behavior in which a person, without the use of professional advice, resolves his health problem. Self-medication is common in the world and considered as a growing public health problem. Objectives:The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of self-medication with analgesics for dental problems over a two-year period among a population in Shiraz, Iran. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 1,203 people. They were randomly selected from among men and women older than 12 with a mean age of 36.2 years, attending outpatient health clinics in 10 districts of Shiraz. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic variables, dental pain, and self-care remedies utilized to combat dental pain. SPSS version 22 software was used for statistical analysis by the chi-square test and one-way ANOVA. The values of P < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The prevalence of self-medication was 56.1% and the most common reasons for self-medication were having severe pain (35.3%), having prior experience (15.9%), and the high cost of dental visits (13.5%). The most common self-used drugs were Ibuprofen (29.42%) and Acetaminophen (21.61%). Self-medication was not significantly related to variables such as educational level, gender, and marital status and was related to age and salary. Conclusions: As found in our study, the high prevalence of self-medication is a major concern. There is a need for health education on indications and risks of self-medication.