Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Reduces Pain and Trismus After Third Molar Surgery

Acute Dental Pain

This split-mouth, randomized, double-blind clinical trial evaluated the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in managing pain, edema, and trismus following the surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars. 
Thirty-seven patients with bilaterally impacted third molars received TENS on one side immediately after surgery (50 Hz, 100-µs pulse, 15 minutes for 6 days), while the contralateral side received a placebo treatment. Pain scores, the primary outcome, were recorded for 7 days postoperatively, while edema and trismus were assessed on days 2, 4, and 7.
Results indicated that the TENS group experienced significantly lower pain scores compared to the placebo group (P<0.05), with reduced analgesic consumption during the first three days post-surgery (P<0.001). Although postoperative edema was lower in the TENS group, this reduction was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Trismus, measured by inter-incisal distance, showed no significant difference on day 2 but was significantly improved in the TENS group thereafter (P<0.001).
TENS proved effective in reducing postoperative pain and trismus following impacted third molar surgery, supporting its use as a non-pharmaceutical intervention to alleviate postoperative symptoms and enhance recovery.
 

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