Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40734367›Full record

SynthesisInternational endodontic journal2025

Efficacy of Combined Versus Supplementary Injection Techniques With Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block for Mandibular Molars With Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Thanatpong Rujirawan, Sittichoke Osiri, Kanet Chotvorrarak

Abstract readComparative StudyNetwork Meta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International endodontic journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Thanatpong RujirawanDepartment of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4069-4311
Sittichoke OsiriDepartment of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8859-3810
Kanet ChotvorrarakDepartment of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8603-978X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAchieving effective anaesthesia in mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis is challenging. Various strategies involving the inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) have been investigated, such as supplementing with additional injections after IANB failure (SUPP) or combining injections with IANB as primary injections (COMB). However, studies directly comparing SUPP and COMB are still lacking.

objectivesThis study aims to assess and compare the anaesthetic effectiveness of different IANB strategies-SUPP and COMB-in mandibular posterior teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis using a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

methodA comprehensive search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Scopus databases to identify relevant studies up to October 2024. Eligible randomised clinical trials (RCTs) were analysed using pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis with a random-effects model to estimate treatment effects. Results were reported as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) values. The quality of the evidence was assessed using the CINeMA (Confidence in network meta-analysis) software (University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland).

resultsA total of 28 studies involving five interventions were identified. Compared with IANB alone, both SUPP (RR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.55-2.30; SUCRA: 85.1%) and COMB (RR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.50-2.30; SUCRA: 64.9%) significantly improved anaesthetic success. However, there was no significant difference in effectiveness between SUPP and COMB.

conclusionThe quality of evidence ranging from low to high suggests that both SUPP and COMB are comparable in anaesthetic efficacy during endodontic treatment of mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. However, both SUPP and COMB strategies showed significantly superior effectiveness compared to IANB alone.

Indexed as

Anesthesia, DentalMandibular NerveMolarNerve BlockPulpitisAnesthetics, LocalHumansInjectionsMandibleRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAnesthetics, Localanaesthetic efficacyinferior alveolar nerve blockirreversible pulpitisnetwork meta‐analysispulpitissupplementary injectionsystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40734367
PMCPMC12518700

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.