TABLE 3.
The total mean number of appointments for all 240 teeth in the year following initiation of root canal treatment. The number of days from the start, until treatment was completed with a root filling or the tooth was extracted instead, is also presented
| Variable | n | Number of appointments | n | Number of days | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M (SD); Median (Min; Max) | p‐Value | M (SD); Median (Min; Max) | p‐Value | |||
| Age | ||||||
| <40 years | 76 | 2.05 (0.88); 2 (1;5) | 55 | 57.3 (72.1); 34 (0;294) | ||
| 40–60 years | 104 | 2.56 (1.20); 2 (1;9) | 94 | 69.4 (76.4); 47 (0;337) | ||
| >60 years | 60 | 2.50 (1.19); 2 (1;8) | .011 | 52 | 65.2 (71.4); 36 (0;305) | .34 |
| Gender | ||||||
| Male | 112 | 2.40 (1.06); 2 (1;8) | 93 | 61.7 (65.7); 45 (0;301) | ||
| Female | 128 | 2.37 (1.18); 2 (1;9) | .85 | 108 | 67.9 (80.3); 35 (0;337) | .56 |
| Jaw | ||||||
| Maxilla | 138 | 2.25 (1.10); 2 (1;9) | 118 | 60.1 (73.6); 35 (0;337) | ||
| Mandible | 102 | 2.56 (1.13); 2 (1;8) | .046 | 83 | 72.0 (73.9); 48 (0;305) | .26 |
| Tooth group | ||||||
| Incisor/canine | 49 | 2.00 (0.91); 2 (1;6) | 42 | 35.6 (48.6); 19 (0;205) | ||
| Premolar | 78 | 2.26 (0.90); 2 (1;5) | 69 | 63.8 (80.9); 33 (0;335) | ||
| Molar | 113 | 2.64 (1.28); 2 (1;9) | .0006 | 90 | 79.7 (74.3); 52.5 (0;337) | <.0001 |
| Previous restoration | ||||||
| No restoration | 16 | 2.19 (0.98); 2 (1;5) | 14 | 50.6 (90.0); 17.5 (0;335) | ||
| Direct restoration | 120 | 2.38 (1.00); 2 (1;6) | 102 | 57.0 (54.4); 42 (0;266) | ||
| Indirect restoration | 22 | 1.91 (0.87); 2 (1:4) | 17 | 29.8 (33.7); 22 (0;138) | ||
| Amalgam | 27 | 3.07 (1.38); 3 (1;8) | 24 | 102.1 (84.3); 77.5 (3;301) | ||
| Temporary filling | 32 | 2.38 (1.50); 2 (1;9) | 28 | 67.4 (96.3); 32.5 (0;337) | ||
| Unknown | 23 | 2.22 (0.74); 2 (1;4) | .0040 | 16 | 106.2 (103.9); 53 (0;296) | .0010 |
| Dental caries: primary, secondary or primary and secondary a | ||||||
| Non‐carious | 74 | 2.22 (0.82); 2 (1;4) | 68 | 44.0 (45.7); 32.5 (0;205) | ||
| Primary | 66 | 2.67 (1.49); 2 (1;9) | 51 | 86.7 (96.0); 49 (0;337) | ||
| Secondary | 43 | 2.40 (1.16); 2 (1;6) | 37 | 54.8 (68.5); 30 (0;305) | ||
| Primary and secondary | 16 | 2.44 (1.03); 2.5 (1;5) | .35 | 12 | 85.3 (67.8); 73.5 (8;259) | .011 |
| Tooth substance loss a | ||||||
| Little or none | 12 | 2.17 (1.03); 2 (1;5) | 12 | 57.8 (95.7); 19 (0;335) | ||
| Minor (<1/3) | 28 | 2.50 (0.75); 2.5 (1;4) | 26 | 67.3 (61.7); 55.5 (0;218) | ||
| Medium (1/3) | 28 | 2.86 (1.63); 3 (1;9) | 24 | 74.8 (89.3); 38.5 (0;337) | ||
| Large (>1/3) | 167 | 2.34 (1.06); 2 (1;8) | .16 | 135 | 65.2 (71.9); 42 (0;305) | .88 |
| Presence of diagnosed symptoms a | ||||||
| Asymptomatic | 81 | 2.12 (1.02); 2 (1;6) | 74 | 56.9 (76.7); 27 (0;305) | ||
| Pain, vital pulp | 69 | 2.67 (1.20); 3 (1;8) | 54 | 76.8 (76.5); 54 (0;335) | ||
| Pain, necrotic pulp | 81 | 2.36 (0.87); 2 (1;5) | .0009 | 66 | 62.7 (61.1); 45.5 (0;294) | .010 |
| Pulpal and periapical diagnoses | ||||||
| No previous root filling a | ||||||
| Vital pulp | 87 | 2.59 (1.21); 2 (1;8) | 71 | 72.5 (80.4); 46 (0;335) | ||
| Necrotic pulp without AP | 20 | 2.00 (0.73); 2 (1;3) | 17 | 33.7 (24.4); 35 (0;69) | ||
| Necrotic pulp with AP | 90 | 2.37 (1.01); 2 (1;6) | 77 | 72.4 (74.3); 49 (0;301) | ||
| Other reasons b | 18 | 2.06 (0.73); 2 (1;3) | 17 | 35.7 (31.2); 35 (0;105) | ||
| Previous root filling | ||||||
| Without AP | 4 | 1.75 (0.50); 2 (1;2) | 4 | 13.5 (13.9); 11.5 (0;31) | ||
| With AP | 14 | 2.00 (0.78); 2 (1;4) | .063 | 10 | 36.2 (31.4); 35 (3;96) | .065 |
The number of appointments includes all appointments for root canal treatment, that is, not only scheduled appointments for instrumentation and root filling but also unplanned emergency appointments, and also for the treatment of teeth which were eventually extracted or cases where root canal treatment had not been completed within the year. The smallest unit analysed was the tooth.
Abbreviations: AP, apical periodontitis; n, number; VAS, visual analogue scale.
The following data were missing ‘in number of appointments’: ‘Dental caries: primary, secondary or primary and secondary’: 41 cases, ‘Tooth substance loss’: 5 cases, ‘Presence of diagnosed symptoms’: 9 cases, and ‘No previous root filling’ under ‘Pulpal and periapical diagnoses’: 7 cases. The following data were missing ‘in number of days’: ‘Dental caries: primary, secondary or primary and secondary’: 33 cases, ‘Tooth substance loss’: 4 cases, ‘Presence of diagnosed symptoms’: 7 cases and ‘No previous root filling’ under ‘Pulpal and periapical diagnoses’: 5 cases.
Other registered non‐specific factors were for example cusp and dental fractures.