Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block Plus Cryotherapy Anesthesia Success in Pulpectomy Of Primary Molars with Irreversible Pulpitis: a Randomized Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of cryotherapy applications on the success of an inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) to reduce pain severity during a pulpectomy of primary molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP). The secondary purpose was to assess children's behavior before and during pulpectomy procedures and the need for supplementary local anesthesia injections. METHODS: A randomized parallel controlled trial included 170 healthy children aged five to nine years who complained of carious primary mandibular second molars with SIP. After an IANB administration, ice packs (cryotherapy group) were applied to half of the participants while the other half did not receive ice packs. During pulpectomy, pain severity was tested using the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (WBS). A failure of anesthesia was encountered in the case of moderate or severe pain reported. Children's behavior was assessed using Frankl's Behavior Rating Scale (FBRS) before and after clinical procedures. RESULTS: The overall success of IANB with cryotherapy (i. e., no or mild pain) was 79.2 percent, which was significantly superior to the control group (50.6 percent; P=0.007). The postoperative children's positive behavior proportions in the cryotherapy group were significantly higher compared to the control group (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Cryotherapy application significantly improved inferior alveolar nerve block efficacy, diminished pain intensity, and improved children's behavior during pulpectomy of primary molars with symp- tomatic irreversible pulpitis. Based on these findings, cryotherapy application after IANB deposition is recommended.