Expression of IL-6, TNF-α, and hs-CRP in the serum of patients undergoing single-sitting and multiple-sitting root canal treatment: A comparative study

Background: in recent times, single-sitting root canal therapy has gained momentum over multiple-sitting root canal therapy due to its superior clinical outcome and less time required for treating the patient. Aim: Thus, the aim of current study was to compare the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in the serum of patients undergoing single-sitting and multiple-sitting root canal treatment. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional experimental study was conducted on 300 subjects who were indicated for root canal treatment. Subjects were categorized into Group I (single visit) and Group II (multiple visits). Clinical data was obtained and serum samples were collected both before and after 1 week of treatment completion. Inclusion criteria were those patients (a) over 18 years of age, (b) without any disease of inflammatory etiology, and (c) who had not previously received endodontic treatment or any related therapeutic treatment. Exclusion criteria were those (a) without a complete clinical history, (b) with greater than one indicated tooth, (c) who did not complete their treatment, and (d) with any periodontal disease. Chi-square and Student's t-test were applied. Results: It was found that in single-sitting root canal treatment, there was a statistically significant reduction in these inflammatory biomarkers, although no difference in clinical efficacy was observed. Conclusion: Single-visit root canal treatment is a better option for treatment of pulpitis compared to multiple-sitting treatment.