Background: The aim of this study was to assess the periapical index scores among individuals presenting with painful pulpal involvement of tooth.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals visiting the dental outpatient department of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal with suspected painful endodontic lesions. Intraoral periapical radiographs were taken, and periapical conditions were assessed using periapical index scores. Data were analyzed in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0 software (IBM Corp.; Armonk, NY, USA). Mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage were calculated according to the nature of the data. A chi-square test was done to determine the association between different characteristics and periapical involvement.
Results: Most of the study participants (284, 74%) complained of dental pain, followed by pain and swelling both (50, 13%). On oral examination, 61 (15.9%) had the presence of a draining sinus, and 182 (47.4%) had tenderness on percussion of the same tooth. The majority of them (230, 59.9%) had a normal periapical bony structure. Some (36, 9.4%) had changes in bone structure with some diffuse mineral loss, and very few (2, 0.5%) had severe apical periodontitis with exacerbating features. Periapical involvement was significantly higher in older adults (P=.039), those with a draining sinus (P < .001), intraoral swelling (P=.001), and lymph node involvement (P < .001).
Conclusion: The findings of this study concluded that most of the individuals complaining of pain in their tooth due to pulpal involvement had normal apical bony structure and very few had severe apical periodontitis with exacerbating features. Periapical involvement was significantly associated with age, draining sinus, intraoral swelling, and lymph node involvement.
Cite this article as: Dahal S, Acharya N, Niroula D, Poudel P. Assessment of periapical index scores among individuals presenting with painful pulpal involvement of tooth. Essent Dent. 2025, 4, 0027, doi: 10.5152/EssentDent.2025.24027.