Comparison of Clinical-related Characteristics of Endodontic Patients Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Year 2022, Volume: 12 Issue: 3, 618 - 623, 28.09.2022

Tuna Kaplan , Sema Sönmez Kaplan

https://doi.org/10.33808/clinexphealthsci.1001197

Abstract

Objective: To compare patient-related and clinical-related characteristics of endodontic patients, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: The study population comprised 506 patients (teeth: n=674) aged 13–81 years who attended undergraduate dental clinics in the Endodontics Department of the Faculty of Dentistry at Biruni University for endodontic treatment. Patient-related and clinical-related data were compared at two time intervals: before the first COVID-19 case was reported in Turkey and after the first COVID-19 case was reported in Turkey

Results: There were no significant differences in terms of age and sex of the patients attending the clinics before versus during the pandemic. The incidence of reported pain before the pandemic was significantly lower than that reported during the pandemic (p=0.041). Periapical health before the pandemic was significantly better than that during the pandemic (p<0.001). The frequency of a diagnosis of asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis before the pandemic was significantly higher than that during the pandemic (p<0.001). The frequency of a diagnosis of asymptomatic apical periodontitis was higher during the pandemic than before the pandemic (p<0.001).

Conclusion: These results may be explained by patients, other than those with severe symptoms, not wishing to attend endodontics clinics during the pandemic due to concerns about contracting the virus and passing the infection to family members.

Keywords

COVID-19, endodontic diagnosis, PAI score, pandemic, systemic disorders

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