Single versus multiple visits for endodontic treatment of permanent teeth: a Cochrane systematic review

The Cochrane Collaboration promotes evidence-based healthcare decision making globally through systematic reviews of the effects of healthcare intervention. The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate whether the effectiveness and frequency of short-term and long-term complications are different when endodontic procedure is completed in one or multiple visits. Randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials enrolling patients undergoing endodontic treatment were identified by searching biomedical databases and hand-searching relevant journals. The following outcomes were considered: tooth extraction as a result of endodontic problems and radiologic failure after 1 year, postoperative discomfort, swelling, analgesic use, or sinus track. Twelve studies were included in the review. No detectable difference was found in the effectiveness of root canal treatment in terms of radiologic success between single and multiple visits. Neither single-visit root canal treatment nor multiple-visit root canal treatment can prevent 100% of short-term and long-term complications. Patients undergoing a single visit might experience a slightly higher frequency of swelling and refer significantly more analgesic use.