# Preoperative Oral Cannabidiol-Rich Cannabis Extract for Anxiety and Postoperative Pain After Endodontic Treatment

> **Author:** Benjamin Caplan, MD (ABFM Board Certified, MA Lic. #240562, NPI: 1962722637)
> **Publisher:** CED Clinic (https://cedclinic.com)
> **Canonical URL:** https://cedclinic.com/research/cbd-for-postoperative-pain-randomized-controlled-trial/
> **Published:** 2026-09-17T12:06:25-04:00 | **Last Modified / Clinically Audited:** 2026-09-17T17:13:38-04:00
> **Clinical Summary:** A double-blind trial testing whether a CBD-rich extract taken before a root canal reduced anxiety during the procedure or pain afterwards.

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Patients undergoing endodontic treatment received either a CBD-rich cannabis extract or placebo before the procedure. Pain was recorded on a visual analog scale before treatment and at 24, 48 and 72 hours and 7 days afterwards. Anxiety was measured with the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale and a visual analog scale before and immediately after treatment, and salivary cortisol was sampled before dosing and after anaesthesia.

Mean anxiety scores were actually higher in the CBD group at each assessment (pre: 5.06 versus 3.07; post: 4.61 versus 2.60), but the reduction in anxiety across the procedure did not differ significantly between groups. No statistically significant difference in postoperative pain appeared at any timepoint.

The authors report no evidence of an exposure-response relationship and call for further study. Worth holding in mind: baseline anxiety differed between the groups, which complicates a head-to-head reading of the anxiety numbers.

 

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### Verification & Medical Governance

- **Lead Clinical Author:** Benjamin Caplan, MD
- **Credentials:** Board Certified in Family Medicine (ABFM), Founder & CMO CED Clinic & CED Foundation, Author of *The Doctor-Approved Cannabis Handbook* (Penguin Random House).
- **Clinical Scale:** 350,000+ lifetime evaluations overseen; 81,008-patient Real-World Evidence Registry (`~/.ced_rwe_vault.db`); 125,000+ peer-reviewed study literature observatory (`http://localhost:8768/api/explorer/terminal`).
- **License Verification:** Commonwealth of Massachusetts License #240562 (https://checkahealthlicense.mass.gov/).
- **NPI Registry:** 1962722637 (https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1962722637).
- **Ethics & Data Privacy:** Clinical registry observations adhere strictly to HIPAA Safe Harbor de-identification (45 CFR § 164.514(b)) and criteria for secondary research exemption under 45 CFR § 46.104(d)(4).