Eligibility criteria
pain
CHRONIC INFECTION, SYMPTOMATIC APICAL PERIODONTITIS
Medically free male patients aged between 18 and 50 years, suffering from acute or chronic infection with symptomatic apical periodontitis related to mandibular permanent molars with sensitivity to percussion and radiographic apical rarefaction, were enrolled in our study. Patients were rejected if they suffered from any medical problem or took any medication that could modify pain assessment (e.g., analgesics) within 12 h before the visit.