Abstract
Acupuncture can control inflammation and pain by modulating various neuroimmunological communication pathways, including a catecholamine-dependent pathway. On the other hand, it has been reported that there are nerve terminals of the sympathetic nervous system in the dental pulp and these nerves can control the blood flow in the dental pulp. This study aimed to determine if acupuncture has an analgesic effect on the dental pulp and the relationship with neuroimmunological control elements in this tissue. A prospective cohort study was carried out with patients scheduled for tooth extraction for orthodontic reasons, which were treated with complementary management of electroacupuncture during the extraction process (n = 17). The success of dental anesthesia was determined using electrical tests and postoperative pain scales. In addition, the presence of the α2 adrenergic receptor in cells of immune lineage in dental pulp was determined by fluorescence microscopy. The results showed that complementary therapy with electroacupuncture has a success rate of 72.5%. In addition, cells of immune lineage in dental pulp expressed α2 adrenergic receptors. Consequently, the anatomical and molecular elements in the dental pulp related to catecholaminergic neuroimmune control are present. These anatomical and molecular elements may be related to pulp anesthesia and pain control during tooth extraction.
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