NCT06434844

Effectiveness of Auricular Acupuncture in Reducing Dental Anxiety and Pain Perception During Orthodontic Extractions Among Adolescents

Effectiveness of Auricular Acupuncture in Reducing Dental Anxiety and Pain Perception During Orthodontic Extractions Among Adolescents - A Crossover Double-Blinded Randomised Controlled Trial

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (actual)
• Sponsor: The University of Hong Kong · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 10 Years – 19 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This prospective, randomised, double-blinded cross-over study aims to compare the effectiveness of auricular acupuncture (AA) with placebo sham acupuncture (PSA) in reducing dental anxiety, pain perception and physiological responses to stress and anxiety among adolescents during orthodontic extractions. Adolescents aged between 10-19 years old who are undergoing orthodontic treatments requiring bilateral premolar extractions will be invited to complete a validated questionnaire to record their dental anxiety level, oral health knowledge, attitudes, practices, demographic and socio-economic factors. During orthodontic extractions, physiological responses including heart rate and oxygen saturation will be measured with a fingertip pulse oximeter throughout the process. The participants will be allocated randomly to one of the two groups in the study. Group 1-- auricular acupuncture in their first orthodontic extraction visit and placebo sham acupuncture in their second orthodontic extraction visit. Group 2-placebo sham acupuncture in their first orthodontic extraction visit and auricular acupuncture their second orthodontic extraction visit. Both acupuncture interventions will be carried out by a Hong Kong registered Chinese medical practitioner. The acupuncture needles are kept in place for 20 minutes to exert its effect before the dental extraction. Placebo sham acupuncture will not cause any harm, but the acupuncture points have no reported effect on stress relief. The extraction of premolars will be performed by a Hong Kong registered dentist. Local anesthesia is injected to numb the respective site, then the premolar will be removed with forceps, followed by stopping the bleeding by biting firmly on gauze.

Conditions

• Dental Anxiety

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Auricular acupunctures	After disinfection of the external ear with 75% alcohol wipes, 018x 13 filiform needles (Mocm International Limited) will be used to perform the auricular acupunctures at the relaxation point, tranquilizer point and master cerebral point at the left and right external ears.
PROCEDURE	Sham acupunctures	The auricular acupoints of finger, shoulder and tonsil will be targeted instead. These points are also located at the external ear and comparable to those in the intervention group. The external ear will be disinfected with 75% alcohol wipes. Auricular acupunctures with 018x 13 filiform needles (Mocm International Limited) will be carried out at the finger point, shoulder point and tonsil point of the left and right external ears.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-10-01
• Primary completion: 2024-05-01
• Completion: 2024-12-31
• First posted: 2024-05-30
• Last updated: 2024-05-30

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Hong Kong