Comparative Analysis of Postoperative Pain in Single-visit vs. Multiple-visit Non-surgical Root Canal Treatment: A Clinical Data Case Study from Kolhapur City.

The optimal number of appointments for non-surgical Root Canal Treatment (RCT) remains a central clinical debate, driven by the desire to balance procedural efficiency with patient comfort and long-term success. This prospective, comparative clinical study addresses the critical scarcity of region-specific evidence by providing the first rigorous analysis of short-term postoperative pain in single-visit (S-RCT) versus multiple-visit (M-RCT) protocols among the Kolhapur city patient population. Novelty is achieved through the application of advanced Bayesian inferential statistics, which offers a robust, probability-based conclusion regarding the certainty of treatment effect, surpassing the limitations of traditional frequentist p-value interpretations. The methodology involved a standardized approach: N=100 patients (50 S-RCT, 50 M-RCT) presenting with non-complicated pulpal pathology were recruited. Both groups underwent standardized biomechanical preparation; the M-RCT group received a calcium hydroxide intracanal dressing between appointments. The primary outcome—postoperative pain intensity—was measured using a 10-point Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at baseline and at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours post-treatment. The results were compelling: while conventional frequentist analysis indicated no statistically significant difference in mean VAS scores between the groups at any measured time point (e.g., p-value at 24 hours = 0.187), the Bayesian Hierarchical Modeling provided a high degree of certainty. The analysis estimated the posterior mean difference in VAS score (S-RCT minus M-RCT) at 24 hours to be -0.45 (95% credible interval: -1.20 to 0.30). Crucially, the probability of a single-visit RCT resulting in equal or less pain than a multiple-visit RCT was calculated to be 87.5%. In conclusion, the outcome of this study strongly supports the clinical recommendation of single-visit RCT for non-complicated cases in this demographic. The high probability (87.5%) derived from the Bayesian inference indicates that the single-visit protocol is a highly efficient and well-tolerated treatment option, offering patient convenience without an increase in clinically important short-term postoperative pain risk.