Use of Acupuncture for Dental Pain: Testing a Model

Completed · Phase 3

Conditions studied: Tooth, Impacted

In brief

This study is testing the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture in controlling pain related to the removal of partially impacted mandibular third molars. Acupuncture is the Chinese art of healing by inserting needles into the skin. Participants ages 18 - 40 are given an initial x-ray to determine if one lower molar is partially bony impacted. Eligible participants will then undergo standard oral surgery to remove the impacted molar. A local anesthetic will be used prior to surgery. Directly after surgery the participant will be assigned to one of three groups. Participants will not be able to select which group they are assigned. Participants will receive either real or sham (fake) acupuncture as a treatment for post-extraction pain. After the initial acupuncture treatment, participants are required to remain for six hours at the dental site to be monitored. If a participants discomfort is measured as moderate or higher then a second acupuncture treatment will be administered. All participants will be administered questionnaires during the day of surgery. Participants will also be required to complete two diaries during the seven days following surgery. On the seventh day, participants return to have stitches removed and hand in completed diaries.

Key facts

Study ID
NCT00010972
Run by
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Last updated by the study team
2006-08-18

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 40. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Where it is running

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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