Skip to content

Effect of Sleep Apnea on Pain After Dental Treatment

Relationship Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Postoperative Pain After Endodontic Treatment

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07581964
Acronym
OSA-EndoPain
Enrollment
78
Registered
2026-05-12
Start date
2025-09-15
Completion date
2026-03-30
Last updated
2026-05-12

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Hypertension Complicated With Type 2 Diabetes, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Postoperative Pain

Keywords

Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Root Canal Therapy, Postoperative Pain

Brief summary

This observational study aims to investigate the effects of sleep quality and systemic health status on pain levels following endodontic treatment in adult patients. The primary goal is to determine how obstructive sleep apnea and common systemic conditions (diabetes and hypertension) influence postoperative dental pain. The key questions it aims to answer are: Does the severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) lead to higher postoperative pain scores after root canal treatment? How does the presence of systemic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, affect pain perception compared to healthy individuals and OSA patients? Comparison Groups: Researchers will compare outcomes across three distinct cohorts: OSA Group: Patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea via polysomnography. Systemic Disease Group: Patients with diagnosed systemic conditions, specifically diabetes and hypertension. Control Group: Systemically healthy individuals without sleep disorders. Participants will: Undergo a polysomnography (PSG) evaluation to assess their sleep status. Receive routine, standard-of-care endodontic treatment. Record and report their pain intensity using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at specific intervals after the procedure.

Detailed description

Study Design and Power Analysis This observational study was designed to evaluate the interaction between Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and systemic diseases on postoperative pain following endodontic treatment. A power analysis was performed using G\*Power 3.1 software with parameters f=0.40, α=0.05, and 80% power. While the analysis indicated a minimum of 66 participants, a total of 75 participants were targeted to account for a potential 15% dropout rate. The study was completed with 78 participants, maintaining and enhancing the required statistical power. Participant Selection and Grouping Patients aged 28 to 63 were enrolled based on their clinical status and divided into three groups: Group 1 (n=24): Patients diagnosed with moderate (AHI 15-30) or severe (AHI \>30) OSA via polysomnography (PSG) in an accredited sleep laboratory, who also presented with systemic diseases (Diabetes Mellitus and/or Hypertension). Group 2 (n=24): Patients with diagnosed systemic diseases (Diabetes Mellitus and/or Hypertension) but without OSA. Group 3 (n=30): Systemically healthy individuals without OSA (Control Group). Exclusion criteria included the presence of periapical lesions on preoperative radiographs, chronic analgesic use, pregnancy, and failure to complete the study protocol. To minimize bias, the research team was blinded to the OSA classification process, and the data analyst was blinded during the statistical evaluation. Standardized Endodontic Protocol To eliminate operator variability, all treatments were performed by a single experienced endodontist in a single session. Procedures were conducted under local anesthesia (2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine) and rubber dam isolation. Root canal preparation was standardized using the VDW.ROTATE™ system up to a size 25.06 taper. The irrigation protocol included 5.25% NaOCl, 17% EDTA, and a final rinse with distilled water. Canals were obturated using the single-cone gutta-percha technique with AH Plus sealer. Evaluation and Statistical Analysis Preoperative pain levels and postoperative pain at the 6th hour, 24th hour, and 7th day were recorded using a 10-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS) (0: no pain, 10: severe pain). The primary outcome was the difference in postoperative VAS scores between groups, while the secondary outcome was the duration of pain. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. Due to non-normal distribution (confirmed via Kolmogorov-Smirnov test), the Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni correction and the Mann-Whitney U test were utilized. The significance level was set at p \< 0.05.

Interventions

Standardized single-session root canal treatment performed under rubber dam isolation and local anesthesia. Root canals are prepared using the VDW.ROTATE™ rotary system, irrigated with 5.25% NaOCl and 17% EDTA, and obturated with the single-cone technique using AH Plus sealer.

Sponsors

Harran University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Patients aged between 18 and 65 years. * Clinical requirement for endodontic (root canal) treatment. * Presence of a restorable tooth structure. * Diagnosis of moderate (AHI 15-30) or severe (AHI \> 30) obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) confirmed by polysomnography, for relevant groups. * Patients with diagnosed systemic diseases (Diabetes Mellitus and/or Hypertension) or systemically healthy controls according to group allocation.

Exclusion criteria

* Presence of periapical lesions identified during preoperative radiographic evaluation. * Chronic use of analgesics or long-term pain-management medications. * Pregnancy. * Failure to complete the established study protocol.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Postoperative Pain Intensity measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS)Preoperative (baseline), 6 hours, 24 hours, and 7 days after the endodontic treatment.Pain intensity is self-reported by patients using a 10-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 represents "no pain" and 10 represents "severe pain".

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Preoperative Baseline Pain LevelBaseline (Preoperative)Assessment of the participants' pain intensity before the start of the endodontic treatment using the 10-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 represents "no pain" and 10 represents "severe pain". This measure is used to ensure baseline comparability between the groups.

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: May 13, 2026