A Phase 3 interventional study of Articaine Hydrochloride With Epinephrine and Submucosal Cryotherapy in Pulpitis, sponsored by Suez Canal University. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Egypt. Open to participants aged 21 Years to 50 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-05.
Sponsored by Suez Canal University · Phase 3, Interventional, and Supportive care
Pain after root canal treatment is a common problem, particularly in teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis, a condition involving severe inflammation of the tissue inside the tooth. Submucosal cryotherapy, which involves applying cold saline through an injection near the affected tooth, may help reduce postoperative pain and inflammation. Anti-inflammatory medications, such as diclofenac sodium and dexamethasone, may also provide pain relief.
This randomized clinical trial aims to evaluate the effects of submucosal cryotherapy, alone or combined with anti-inflammatory medications, on postoperative pain and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in patients undergoing root canal treatment of upper molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.
A total of 90 adult patients will be randomly assigned to six groups: local anesthesia alone, cryotherapy with anesthesia, diclofenac sodium with anesthesia, dexamethasone with anesthesia, cryotherapy combined with diclofenac sodium, or cryotherapy combined with dexamethasone. All participants will undergo standardized single-visit root canal treatment.
Postoperative pain will be evaluated during the first 72 hours after treatment. IL-6, a substance involved in inflammation, will be measured in blood samples collected from the dental pulp during treatment. The need for additional pain medication and the occurrence of postoperative flare-ups will also be assessed.
The study seeks to determine whether combining submucosal cryotherapy with anti-inflammatory medications provides greater postoperative pain relief than individual interventions or standard care alone.
316 studies on the registry are indexed under Pulpitis; 90 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 90 is above the median of 64 across 288 interventional studies indexed under Pulpitis.
Browse Pulpitis studies →Suez Canal University is the lead sponsor of 164 studies on the registry; 38 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The anaesthetists’ scale of health before surgery: I is healthy, II has a mild illness that is under control, III a severe one, IV a severe illness that is a constant threat to life. V and VI are used for the critically ill and for organ donors.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
ASA physical status
The anaesthetists’ scale of health before surgery: I is healthy, II has a mild illness that is under control, III a severe one, IV a severe illness that is a constant threat to life. V and VI are used for the critically ill and for organ donors.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Immunosuppression
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will receive local anesthesia using one carpule of 4% articaine hydrochloride with epinephrine 1:100,000 administered by buccal infiltration, with supplemental palatal infiltration if needed. Standardized single-visit root canal treatment will be performed without additional submucosal cryotherapy or anti-inflammatory drug injections.
Drug: Articaine Hydrochloride With Epinephrine
Participants will receive standard local anesthesia followed by a single submucosal injection of 1 mL cold normal saline (2-5°C) into the buccal vestibule adjacent to the affected maxillary molar before standardized single-visit root canal treatment.
Drug: Articaine Hydrochloride With Epinephrine · Procedure: Submucosal Cryotherapy
Participants will receive standard local anesthesia followed by a single submucosal injection of 1 mL diclofenac sodium (25 mg/mL; total dose 25 mg) into the buccal vestibule adjacent to the affected maxillary molar before standardized single-visit root canal treatment.
Drug: Articaine Hydrochloride With Epinephrine · Drug: Diclofenac Sodium
Participants will receive standard local anesthesia followed by a single submucosal injection of 1 mL dexamethasone sodium phosphate (4 mg/mL; total dose 4 mg) into the buccal vestibule adjacent to the affected maxillary molar before standardized single-visit root canal treatment.
Drug: Articaine Hydrochloride With Epinephrine · Drug: Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate
Participants will receive standard local anesthesia followed by submucosal administration of cold normal saline (1 mL at 2-5°C) and diclofenac sodium (1 mL at 25 mg/mL) into the buccal vestibule adjacent to the affected maxillary molar before standardized single-visit root canal treatment. The interventions will be administered separately or sequentially according to the finalized study protocol.
Drug: Articaine Hydrochloride With Epinephrine · Procedure: Submucosal Cryotherapy · Drug: Diclofenac Sodium
Participants will receive standard local anesthesia followed by submucosal administration of cold normal saline (1 mL at 2-5°C) and dexamethasone sodium phosphate (1 mL at 4 mg/mL) into the buccal vestibule adjacent to the affected maxillary molar before standardized single-visit root canal treatment. The interventions will be administered separately or sequentially according to the finalized study protocol.
Drug: Articaine Hydrochloride With Epinephrine · Procedure: Submucosal Cryotherapy · Drug: Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate
Drug pages: Articaine hydrochloride · Epinephrine
Local anesthesia will be administered using one carpule of 4% articaine hydrochloride with epinephrine 1:100,000 by buccal infiltration before single-visit root canal treatment. Supplemental palatal infiltration will be provided if needed, and any additional anesthetic administration will be recorded. This standard anesthetic regimen will be used in all six study groups.
Submucosal cryotherapy will be performed through a single injection of 1 mL sterile normal saline cooled to 2-5°C into the buccal vestibule adjacent to the affected maxillary molar before root canal treatment. The intervention is intended to provide localized cooling to reduce postoperative inflammation and pain. Cryotherapy will be administered alone or in combination with an anti-inflammatory drug according to group allocation.
Diclofenac sodium will be administered as a single preoperative submucosal injection of 1 mL at a concentration of 25 mg/mL (total dose: 25 mg) into the buccal vestibule adjacent to the affected maxillary molar. It will be administered alone or in combination with submucosal cryotherapy according to group allocation to evaluate its effects on postoperative pain and inflammatory response.
Dexamethasone sodium phosphate will be administered as a single preoperative submucosal injection of 1 mL at a concentration of 4 mg/mL (total dose: 4 mg) into the buccal vestibule adjacent to the affected maxillary molar. It will be administered alone or in combination with submucosal cryotherapy according to group allocation to evaluate its effects on postoperative pain and inflammatory response.
Postoperative Pain Intensity Assessed Using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS)
Postoperative pain intensity will be assessed using an 11-point Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity. Participants will record their pain intensity at predefined postoperative intervals, and NRS scores will be compared among the six study groups.
Time frame: At 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after root canal treatment.
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Levels in Pulpal Blood
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels will be measured in pulpal blood samples collected under aseptic conditions after access cavity opening during root canal treatment. Samples will be stored at -20°C and analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IL-6 levels will be compared among the six study groups to evaluate the local inflammatory response.
Time frame: During root canal treatment, immediately after access cavity opening (single intraoperative sample).
Incidence of Postoperative Flare-Up
The occurrence of postoperative flare-up following single-visit root canal treatment will be recorded. The number and percentage of participants experiencing flare-up will be determined and compared among the six study groups.
Time frame: Within 72 hours after root canal treatment.
Incidence of Postoperative Rescue Analgesic Intake
Participants will be instructed to avoid taking analgesics unless necessary. Any postoperative rescue analgesic intake will be recorded. The number and percentage of participants requiring rescue analgesics will be compared among the six study groups.
Time frame: Within 72 hours after root canal treatment.
Start is estimated for Nov 2026; primary completion for Nov 2027, 12 months later.
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From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Studies of the drugs tested here: Diclofenac · Dexamethasone phosphate