Effect of electronic dental anesthesia on pain threshold and pain tolerance levels of human teeth subjected to stimulation with an electric pulp tester

Abstract

The effect of electronic dental anesthesia on pain threshold and pain tolerance levels of human teeth subjected to stimulation with an electric pulp tester was evaluated. Subjects (n = 120) were randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups (baseline, placebo, square wave, and postsynaptic wave). Symptom-free right-sided maxillary incisor teeth were tested for anesthesia with an electric pulp tester. Electrostimulation significantly increased the pain perception threshold and pain tolerance level with both the square wave and postsynaptic wave. The postsynaptic wave was more effective than the square wave. Presented at the Satellite Symposium on Advances in the Management of Acute and Chronic Facial Pain associated with the 6th World Congress on Pain, Melbourne, Australia, 1990.