title: Electro-acupuncture efficacy on pain control after mandibular third molar surgery.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of electro-acupuncture (EAC) on postoperative pain control after mandibular third molar surgery. Twenty four young patients (12 male and 12 female) with symmetrically impacted mandibular third molars were selected. Each patient was submitted to two separate surgical procedures under local anesthesia. At one side, extraction was carried out employing both prior (24h) and immediately postoperative application of EAC, while on the contralateral side surgery was carried out without any treatment. EAC was applied on 6 bilateral systemic and 2 auricular points with a WQ10Dl appliance using 40-60Hz frequency for 20 min and individually adjusted intensity. Postoperative pain intensity was rated on a 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS) between 2 and 72 h and recording the amount of analgesics intake after surgery. Statistical analysis was performed using theWilcoxon test. Postoperative pain VAS scores were significantly lower for the EAC group (p<0.05) and analgesic intake decreased (p<0.05) for all evaluated periods (p<0.05). Under the tested conditions EAC therapy is efficient was proved controlling postoperative pain following mandibular third molar surgical removal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Periodontology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marconi Gonzaga
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Breno Gutierrez
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Borsatto
authors.forename: Adalberto Luiz
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Samuel Porfírio
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Xavier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000379:methods*; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics