Differences in pain thresholds elicited by intraoral electrical stimuli between individuals with and without diabetes mellitus

Effect of aging and tooth loss on sensory function of alveolar mucosa

BACKGROUND

Maintain Quality of Life of elderly denture wearers is one of the most crucial tasks for dentists in the super-aged society. Although external mechanical load on removable dentures has been investigated to minimize a risk of soreness caused by dentures, sensory perception of the alveolar mucosa remains obscure.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate effect of aging and tooth loss in sensory function on the alveolar mucosa for deep understanding of the characteristics of pain sensitivity in edentulous individuals.

METHODS

Eighteen edentulous participants(ED), as well as 18 age-matched dentate participants(EC) and 18 young dentate participants(YC), participated in this study. Tactile detection threshold(TDT) and pain threshold(PT) were measured with von Frey filaments (0.125-512 mN). Mechanical pain sensitivity(MPS) after a 2-sec application of 1 kg palpation was assessed with a 0-50-100 Numerical Rating Scale(NRS) (0: no pain, 50: slight pain, and 100: the worst pain imaginable). Furthermore, entropy scores of TDT, PT, and NRS on MPS were calculated.

RESULTS

In both maxilla and mandible, EC showed significantly higher TDT and PT, compared to YC, whereas ED showed significantly lower TDT and PT, compared to EC. NRS on MPS in ED was significantly higher than that in EC. The entropy scores of all the outcome parameters showed no significant difference between groups.

CONCLUSION

Both aging and tooth loss can alter tactile and pain perception in the oral mucosa. This suggest that it might be beneficial to assess sensory function of the alveolar mucosa in edentulous patients clinically in prior to denture fabrication.

Verification of the reliability of current perception threshold and pain threshold testing by application of an electrical current stimulus to mandibular mucosa in young adults

BACKGROUND

There is little evidence regarding the reliability of CPT and PT measurements to gauge mandibular perception. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the test-retest reliability of CPT and PT values obtained from the mandibular oral mucosa and to test the bilateral differences in CPT and PT values obtained from the mental foramen region and buccal shelf region by a single operator.

METHODS

CPT and PT values were obtained from the mental foramen and buccal shelf regions of 20 volunteers (10 males and 10 females; average age: 26.4 ± 2.6 years) by using the Neurometer CPT/C® device to deliver electrical stimulation.

RESULTS

Relative and absolute reliabilities were confirmed over two measurements of CPT and PT over a 7- to 10-day measurement interval. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) for CPT and PT table obtained from the mental foramen region were >0.8, while most ICC for the buccal shelf region were <0.8. Standard error of measurement, minimal detectable change and Bland-Altman analyses showed that the CPT and PT measurements had no systematic error and could serve as useful methods. At all frequencies, the bilateral difference in CPT and PT values at the mental foramen and buccal shelf region was not significant.

CONCLUSION

CPT and PT measurements using a custom-made device that applied an electrical current to the mental foramen region have appropriate reliability to assess intra-oral sensitivity to electrical stimulation in young adults.

Receptivity of the mandible versus the maxilla to external stimuli in patients with complete dentures

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate whether the mandible is more receptive to external stimuli than the maxilla in patients with complete dentures by comparing regional current perception thresholds (CPTs) and pain threshold (PTs).

METHODS

A single operator obtained measurements from maxillae at the incisor foramen and the left side of the greater palatine foramen region and the mandible at the left side of the mental foramen region, using the Neurometer CPT/C device, CPT and PT values from the oral mucosa of 20 edentulous individuals wearing complete dentures were analyzed. Participant characteristics such as mucosal thickness, occlusal force, age, and sex. Mucosal thickness over target regions and occlusal force were measured by the same operator using Krupp SDM and Occlusal Force-Meter GM10s devices. Differences in CPT and PT among the three measurement regions were tested with an analysis of covariance, and post hoc t-tests with the Bonferroni correction.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between the mental foramen, incisor papilla, and greater palatine regions CPT values. PTs obtained at all current frequencies (2000Hz, 250Hz, and 5Hz) were lowest in the mental foramen region and highest in the greater palatine region. Covariates including sex, mucosal thickness, and occlusal force had no significant influence on CPT or PT values at all frequencies.

CONCLUSIONS

The mandible exhibits higher receptivity to external pain stimuli than the maxilla.