Diabetes Mellitus and its Influence on the Success of Endodontic Treatment: A Retrospective Clinical Study

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disease in which are involved the hormones produced by the islets of Langerhans. The diabetes mellitus can affect various functions of the immune system of the individual, predisposing them to chronic inflammation, progressive degradation of tissues and decreased tissue repair. The changes caused by this disease at the level of the oral cavity can highlight xerostomia, dysgeusia, periodontal alterations, increased susceptibility to infection and changes both in the dental pulp and periapical tissues. Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of diabetes mellitus at the periapical tissues and the success of endodontic treatment in these patients. Material and Methods: We analyzed 737 cases treated in consultation Area of Dental Medicine, which were made nonsurgical endodontic treatments, between the years 2003 and 2012. These were selected patients with diabetes mellitus, a total of 32, of whom 23 were willing to come to the consultation and to participate in this study. The data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 19, at a significance level of 5%. Results: A total of 37 teeth in the test group and 25 in the control group. For the analyzed parameters related to the diagnosis pulp, mobility, fistula, pain on percussion horizontal and vertical evaluation of final restoration and the time interval between the query and the final restoration shutter and/or the control visit, there were no differences statistically significant (p > 0.05). Regarding the assessment of the success of endodontic treatment, this was 62% in the test group and 80% in the control group (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study are inconclusive regarding the increasing prevalence of apical periodontitis in diabetic patients. Regarding the evaluation of the success of endodontic treatments examined it was found that the success rate in diabetic patients is lower, though not statistically significant. For this reason and given the limitations of this study, we cannot state that patients with diabetes mellitus have a greater predisposition to the development of periradicular lesions or that the success of endodontic treatment in these patients is compromised. It is important, however, that further studies are developed to characterize the pulp and periradicular changes and to assess the prevalence of apical periodontitis and progression in patients with diabetes mellitus.