Root Canal Treatment Significantly Improves Oral Health-Related Quality of Life: Study
Researchers have found in a new study that an RCT showed moderate to large improvements in all OHIP-14 domains after root canal treatment (RCT). Before treatment, factors such as female gender, mixed race or Afro-descendant background, and extensive crown destruction were associated with poorer oral health–related quality of life.
The objective of this study was to assess the impact of root canal treatment (RCT) in single-rooted teeth with asymptomatic apical periodontitis on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). As a secondary objective, the impact of factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, tooth groups, arch position, crown destruction, postoperative pain, edema, and use of analgesics after procedure were also noted. A prospective cohort study was designed and enrolled in a sample of 105 patients who needed root canal treatment in single-rooted maxillary or mandibular teeth with asymptomatic apical periodontitis, without preoperative symptoms.
RCT was performed in one session. The impact of the OHRQoL was recorded using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) at baseline and after seven and 30 days. Predictor variables were also collected: age, gender, ethnicity, tooth groups, arch position, destruction of the crown, postoperative pain, edema, and the use of analgesics. Data were tabulated and analyzed in SPSS software, with alpha value set at 0.05. All domains of the OHIP-14 questionnaire revealed a statistically significant difference between the times evaluated (p < 0.001), showing the positive impact of the RCT on OHRQoL, with moderate and large effects.
There was a significant difference in the total score for gender (p = 0.001), ethnicity (p = 0.010), and crown destruction (p = 0.002). RCT improved OHRQoL scores in all domains assessed by OHIP-14, with moderate and large effects. Factors such as female gender, mixed race and afrodescendant participants, and extensive crown destruction negatively influenced the OHRQoL of patients pre-RCT.
Guimarães, L. S., & da Silva, E. A. B. (2025). Impact of root canal treatment on oral health-related quality of life: a prospective cohort study. Brazilian Oral Research, 39, e126. https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-3107bor-2025.vol39.126
