Root canal showdown: one visit or two? new study has answers
NCT ID NCT07354373
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looked at whether a root canal for an infected tooth with an abscess can be done in one visit instead of two. Fifty-nine adults received either a single-visit treatment or a two-visit treatment with a calcium hydroxide medication placed in between. After 12 months, both groups showed similar healing of the infection on X-rays and CT scans. The findings suggest that a single visit may be just as effective, potentially saving patients time and extra appointments.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Calcium hydroxide (interim medication)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that a single root canal visit is as effective as two visits, saving time and reducing patient discomfort.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study with only 59 participants. Results may not apply to all patients, and the treatment is already standard care, so no major breakthrough is expected.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
59 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2021
- Finished
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Jul 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Class I or II * presenting with radiographic evidence of apical periodontitis-defined as a Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Periapical Index (CBCTPAI) score of 3 or greater according to the Estrela classification Exclusion Criteria: * Exclusion criteria included patients with uncontrolled chronic systemic conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), cardiovascular disease, renal or hepatic impairment, and autoimmune disorders * History of smoking * Periodontal disease with probing depths ≥ 3 mm. * Root fractures * Immature apices * Resorption * perforations * Inability to achieve rubber dam isolation * Lack of informed consent
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of California San Francisco School of dentistry
San Francisco, California, 94143, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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