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Dental Tribune Asia Pacific Edition No.4, 2017

Dental Tribune Asia Pacific Edition | 4/2017 SCIENCE & PRACTICE 11 therapeutic eficacy. Recent histo- logical evidence using rat models suggests that this needle grasp sensation is the result of collagen and elastic ibres tightening around the needle during needle manipulation.5 The authors went further to postulate that this me- chanical coupling between the needle and soft tissue is responsi- ble for transducing mechanical signals to ibroblasts and other cells, with resultant therapeutic downstream effects. How acupuncture can relieve pain can be explained by the gate control theory of pain. It proposes that the activation of alpha delta and C afferent nerve ibres through acupuncture point stimulation sends signals to the spinal cord, with local release of dynorphins and enkephalins.6 Upon reaching the midbrain, both excitatory and inhibitory mediators are activated in the spinal cord. Neurotransmit- ters, like serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, are produced, causing pre- and postsynaptic inhibition of pain transmission. When the signals reach the hypo- thalamus and pituitary gland, adrenocorticotropic hormones and endorphins may be produced. This forms the basis of our current understanding of the analgesic effect of acupuncture in Western medicine, although other thera- peutic effects of acupuncture, such as in the treatment of nausea, gastritis, asthma and dysmenor- rhoea, are yet to be fully ex- plained. In the case of asthma, one of the therapeutic acupuncture points, BL13 (feishu), lies approxi- mately 1.5 in. (38.1 mm) lateral to the level of the spinous process of vertebra T3. It has been hypothe- sised that the location of BL13 (feishu) corresponds roughly to the sympathetic ganglion at the level of T3, which sends postgan- glionic ibres to the pulmonary plexus and cardiac plexus.7 Dental application of acupuncture Managing dental pain, analgesic effect and postoperative pain relief According to TCM theory, local acupuncture points on the facial Clinical posting module in graduate diploma in acupuncture course. “...studies have shown that acupuncture can reduce postoperative pain.” regions, like ST6 (jiache) and ST7 (xiaguan), and distant points, like LI4 (hegu), can be used to treat dental pain. They are part of the stomach and large intestine me- ridians, which converge at the fa- cial region and link up with the maxillary and mandibular teeth, respectively. Western medical lit- erature has proposed that acu- puncture can produce an analge- sic effect at a distant site by dif- fuse noxious inhibitory control.8 This provides a possible explana- tion as to how the acupuncture point LI4 (hegu), which is located on the radial side of the second metacarpal bone on the dorsum of the hand, can elicit an analgesic effect in the orofacial region. The role of acupuncture in contemporary dentistry may not be so much the removal of the ae- tiology of dental pain, but rather as an adjunct in achieving anaes- thesia during dental procedures and providing postoperative pain relief. A pilot study was conducted to investigate whether the induc- tion time of local anaesthesia can AD Complete line of MTA Bioceramic and Bioactive materials MTA Angelus® Bioceramic reparative cement Putty form The first MTA-BASED sealer of the world. MTA Repair HP Bioceramic high-plasticity reparative cement MTA-Fillapex Bioceramic root canal sealer INDONESIA - BINTANG SAUDARA SEMESTA JAYA - Phone: +62 61 7345628 - Fax: +62 61 7363565 - info@bintangsaudara.com - www.bintangsaudara.com JAPAN - YOSHIDA DENTAL TRADE DISTR. CO., LTD. - Phone: 03-3845-2931 - webadmin@yoshida-dental.co.jp - www.yoshida-dental.co.jp MALAYSIA - PARADIGM DENTAL SUPPLIERS - Phone: 019-338 8155 PHILIPPINES - TOP CORE DENTAL CORPORATION - Phone: +6382 2272294 or +632 7062294 - Fax: +6382 224 2555 or +632 7062814 - Cell: +63932 8473153 drzen_tcdc@yahoo.com - - www.topcoredentalcorporation.com SOUTH KOREA - SAMBUDENTAL - Phone: 02 312-3751 - sambu78@naver.com - Fax: 02 312-3750 - www.sambudental.com www.angelus.ind.br

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