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NCT Number: NCT07699315

Preoperative Dexamethasone Injection to Improve Local Anesthesia Success in Endodontic Treatment

This study aims to determine whether giving a single dose of 4mg dexamethasone before root canal treatment can reduce the amount of pain patients experience during the procedure . Patients diagnosed with symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis requiring endodontic treatment will be enrolled. Participants will receive either dexamethasone or placebo before treatment , and pain during the procedure will be measured using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) .

The findings may help improve pain management strategies during root canal treatment .

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Key information

Age range

18 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 4

About this study

Symptomatic irreversible pulpitis is a common cause of severe dental pain, and achieving adequate pain control during endodontic treatment remains a challenge despite the use of local anesthesia. Inflammatory mediators present in inflamed pulp tissues may reduce the effectiveness of local anesthetics , resulting in persistent intraoperative pain.

Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid with potent anti-inflammatory properties that may reduce inflammatory mediator release and improve pain control . This randomized controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of preoperative 4mg dose of dexamethasone compared with placebo in reducing intraoperative pain during endodontic treatment of teeth diagnosed with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.

Eligible participants will be randomly allocated to receive either dexamethasone or placebo before treatment . Standard local anesthesia and endodontic procedures will be performed for all participants .

Intraoperative pain intensity will be assessed using a Visual Analogue Scale. The primary outcome will be the difference in intraoperative pain scores between the two groups.

The results of this study may provide evidence regarding the role of preoperative dexamethasone as an adjunct for improving pain control during endodontic treatment .

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients with pain VAS >/= 6
  • Carious exposed mandibular molar with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis
  • Patients between ages 18-60 years
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists class I or II medical histories -

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients with contraindications to local anesthesia solution or dexamethasone 2.Pregnant or breast-feeding females 4.Tooth having fused/extra roots, full coverage crowns, or poor periodontal status 5. Patients taking drugs which could affect the pain perception

-

Treatment and study plan

Dexamethasone

Drug

participants receive 4mg dexamethasone administered via intraligamental infiltration followed by inferior alveolar nerve block before endodontic treatment of mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis

Saline (0.9% NaCl)

Drug

participants receive an equivalent volume of normal saline administered via intraligamental infiltration before root canal treatment for symptomatic irreversible pulpitis

Primary outcomes

  1. Intraoperative pain intensity

    Time frame: Pain intensity assessed intraoperatively from initiation of access cavity preparation until completion of canal instrumentation during a single visit ( approximately 30-90 minutes).

    intraoperative pain intensity measured using the Heft-parker Visual Analogue Scale following root canal treatment

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Ayesha S Janjua, BDS

CONTACT

[email protected]

+92 321 5252096

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Watim Medical & Dental College

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Preoperative Intraligamentary Injection of Dexamethasone Can Improve the Anesthetic Success Rate of 2% Lidocaine During the Endodontic Management of Mandibular Molars With Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis

Acronym: DILAS

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jul 13, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 13, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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