Efficacy of Calcium Hydroxide/Saline versus Calcium Hydroxide/Artemisia persica Essential Oil as Intracanal Medicament to Improve Radiographic Visualization of Periapical Lesions in Necrotic Teeth: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Objectives. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of calcium hydroxide (CH)/saline and CH/Artemisia persica (A. persica) essential oil as an intracanal medicament for radiographic resolution of periapical (PA) lesions in necrotic teeth. Materials and Methods. This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 22 patients with necrotic teeth and PA lesions presenting to two private endodontic offices. The patients were randomly divided into two groups (n = 11) to receive CH/saline (control group) and CH/A. persica essential oil (10%) (intervention group) as intracanal medicaments between treatment sessions. The size of PA radiolucency was measured on parallel PA radiographs taken before treatment and also at 1 and 3 months after completion of treatment. The mean time of healing of PA lesions was also compared between the two groups. Data were analyzed by the independent t-test, chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test (alpha = 0.05). Results. No significant difference was found between the two groups regarding the changes in the size of PA lesions, relative healing percentage, and speed of healing, neither at 1 nor at 3 months postoperatively P > 0.05. Regarding the presence/absence of clinical symptoms in the second treatment session, the intervention group showed greater resolution of symptoms, although the difference did not reach statistical significance P > 0.05. Conclusion. According to the present results, it appears that the addition of A. persica essential oil to CH for application as intracanal medicament does not add any particular advantage.