Abstract
Objective To compare the use of topical anaesthesia and transcutaneous electronic nerve stimulation (TENS) as a means of reducing the discomfort of inferior dental nerve block injection.
Design A randomised controlled trial in a UK dental school.
Intervention 100 adult patients requiring lower tooth extraction that necessitated long buccal and inferior alveolar block anaesthesia were randomly assigned to 3 groups. The same operator using the same type of anaesthetic for each case administered all injections. Each patient received a long buccal (LB) injection. They then received an inferior alveolar injection (IDE) and lingual block after either — no mucosal preparation, 20% topical benzocaine or TENS treatment.
Outcome measures Patients and scored their discomfort on a visual analogue scale (VAS) following the administration of both the LB and IDB injections. The statements ‘no pain’ and ‘unbearable pain’ anchored the VAS.
Results There was no statistical difference in the discomfort produced by the LB injection. There were however differences between pain experience during IDB, TENS producing significantly less discomfort than either no treatment or topical anaesthetic. Patients who received no pre-treatment were more likely to score the IDB more uncomfortable than the LB.
Conclusion Patient-controlled TENS reduced but did not eliminate discomfort experienced during inferior dental block and lingual block compared with 20% benzocaine topical anaesthetic.
Meechan J G, Gowans A J, Welbury, R R. The use of patient-controlled TENS to decrease the discomfort of regional anaesthesia in dentistry: a randomised controlled clinical trial. J of Dent. 1998; 26: 417–420
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Address for reprints: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Dental Hospital, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4BW, UK
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Keith, D. Patient-controlled TENS reduces the discomfort of ID nerve block. Evid Based Dent 1, 6 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ebd.6490030
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ebd.6490030