Effect of Short-Term Use of a Centric Occlusion Stabilization Oral Appliance On Sensory and Pain Perception Thresholds in the Cervically Innervated Area: A Pilot Study

Abstract

This preliminary study was done to determine the effect of short-term use of a centric occlusion stabilization oral appliance with regard to noxious and sensory perception in the upper extremities. The subjects consisted of 22 asymptomatic females, and the experiments were performed on two separate days within the same week, with the days randomly assigned as either appliance-wearing or nonappliance- wearing days. For each experimental day, cool sensation, warm sensation, cold-induced pain and heat-induced pain were measured using a computer-based quantitative testing device, and these thresholds were compared between the experimental days with or without the oral appliance. We found that during the experimental day wearing an oral appliance, subjects had significantly higher thresholds for warm sensation and heat-induced pain. There was no statistical difference between the testing days in cool sensation or cold-induced pain thresholds. These findings indicate that short-term wearing of a centric occlusion stabilization oral appliance may inhibit some noxious and sensory inputs from cervically innervated structures, which are primarily served by unmyelinated C fibers, and that oral appliances may be appropriate for the treatment of painful cervical disorders.

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Notes on contributors

Koji Kashima

Dr. Koji Kashima received his D.D.S. degree from Kyushu University Faculty of Dentistry in 1987 and his Ph.D. degree from Miyazaki Medical College in 1998. He is now an assistant professor at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Miyazaki Medical College.

Mitsutaka Ogihara

Dr. Mitsutaka Ogihara received his D.D.S. degree from Kanagawa Dental College in 2001. He is now a research fellow at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Miyazaki Medical College.

Naoshi Watanabe

Dr. Naoshi Watanabe received his D.D.S. degree from Kagoshima University Faculty of Dentistry in 2002. He is now a resident at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Miyazaki Medical College.

Shuichi Higashinaka

Dr. Shuichi Higashinaka received his D.D.S. degree from Kagoshima University Faculty of Dentistry in 2003. He is now a resident at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Miyazaki Medical College.

Sho Maeda

Dr. Sho Maeda received his D.D.S. degree from Nihon University School of Dentistry at Matsudo in 2002. He is now a research fellow at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Miyazaki Medical College.

Sumio Sakoda

Dr. Sumio Sakoda received his D.D.S. degree from Kyushu Dental College in 1972 and a Ph.D. degree from the same school in 1976. He is currently a professor and a chairman of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Miyazaki Medical College.