压力痛阈测试在口腔颌面部疼痛研究的应用

压力痛阈测试（Pain-pressure threshold,PPT）作为定量感觉测试被用于口腔颌面部疼痛的临床研究,其在揭示疾病疼痛的发生机制、预测疾病发展过程、判断不同治疗方法下临床效果的差异等方面作用显著。该文就PPT在口腔颌面部疼痛研究的进展及其局限性作一综述。     

压力痛阈测试在颞下颌关节病中的应用

压力痛阈测试(pressure pain threshold,PPT)作为定量感觉测试的一项指标已经被用于颞下颌关节病的临床研究,其在揭示疾病疼痛的发生机制、预测疾病发展过程、判断不同治疗的临床效果差异等方面有巨大作用。本文就PPT在颞下颌关节病中的研究进展及其局限性作一综述。     

Effect of sweet solutions on pain tolerance threshold in pediatric oral mucosa

PurposeWe examined the effects of sweet taste stimulation on pain tolerance threshold (PTT) of oral mucosa in children.Subjects and methodsSubjects comprised 10 children (mean age, 7.3 ± 1.2 years) for whom PTT of oral mucosa was measured 2 min after oral administrations of sucrose or xylitol and water. Sine wave current stimulation (2 kHz, 250 Hz and 5 Hz, SWCS) which can stimulate sensory nerve fiber selectively (Aβ, Aδ and C) was used to measure PTT.ResultsSweet taste stimulation with sucrose or xylitol increased oral mucosa PTT in children, but not in adults. No difference in the increased PTT was seen between sucrose and xylitol.ConclusionsOral administration of sucrose and xylitol may potentially relieve pain associated with local anesthetic injections in children.     

无牙颌患者牙槽嵴粘膜疼痛阈及其相关因素的研究

目的 :分析无牙颌患者牙槽嵴粘膜疼痛阈的分布、影响规律以及与全口义齿满意度之间的关系。方法 :采用口腔粘膜压力测痛仪和全口义齿满意度问卷对 45名无牙颌患者进行测试调查。结果 :无牙颌患者同颌左右侧牙槽嵴粘膜测试点的疼痛阈之间无显著性差异。牙槽嵴粘膜疼痛阈上颌大于下颌 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,牙槽嵴顶大于颊腭 (舌 )侧 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,颊侧大于腭 (舌 )侧 (P <0 .0 5 )。全口义齿满意度构成因素中的固位稳定、咀嚼、舒适得分与牙槽嵴粘膜疼痛阈呈正相关。全口义齿满意度高的组较满意度低的组上下颌牙槽嵴顶、颊侧和腭 (舌 )侧牙槽嵴粘膜疼痛阈值均高 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :戴义齿前牙槽嵴粘膜疼痛阈值高的患者对新义齿容易适应     

Pressure-pain threshold determination in the oral mucosa: validity and reliability

Fundamental knowledge of pain in the oral mucosa is lacking. We determined the validity and reliability of the pressure-pain threshold (PPT) measurement in the oral mucosa using a newly developed hand-held pressure algometer. Ten dentulous subjects were recruited, and the PPT was measured at the bilateral buccal (on the attached gingiva apical to the midline of the upper first premolars, 3 mm from the mucogingival junction) and the palatal sites (mid-point between the bilateral upper first molars). The PPT linearly increased with an increase in load-rate (P < 0.0001). The PPT yielded a high intra-individual stability both for the same-day consecutive trials and weekly sessions. The palatal site revealed a 4- to 4.65-fold greater PPT than the buccal sites (Bonferroni, P < 0.0001), whereas no difference was found between the bilateral buccal sites (P=0.663). Despite a great interindividual variation in the PPT, significant intra-individual correlations were found among the measurement sites. This suggested differences in individual sensitivity to pain in the oral mucosa, which may determine overall pain sensation specific to an individual. A pressure algometer described herein reliably assessed the PPT in the oral mucosa and sensitively discriminated PPT differences at different sites and at different load-rates, suggesting the reliability and validity of PPT measurements in the oral mucosa for clinical and research investigations.     

Pressure-pain threshold of oral mucosa and its region-specific modulation by pre-loading

Once subjected to denture wearing, oral mucosa has to withstand mechanical loads of various levels and durations. However, how this load affects oral mucosal sensitivity is unknown. This study investigated the pressure-pain threshold (PPT) of oral mucosa with or without pre-loading. An electric pressure algometer was developed specifically for measuring the PPT of oral mucosa. Measurements of 10 dentulous maxillae showed that the baseline PPT (BPPT) of the palatal site was 4.9- and 3.7-fold greater than that of the labial or buccal sites, respectively. The PPT of the labial site decreased significantly compared with its BPPT after 2 s-100% BPPT and 5 s-100% BPPT pre-loading. The PPT of the palatal site increased after 5 s-50% BPPT and 5 s-80% BPPT and 0.2 s-100% BPPT and 2 s-100% BPPT pre-loading. The PPT of the buccal site did not change after all levels and durations of pre-loadings tested. These results indicated the disproportionate modulation of oral mucosal PPT following various loads, suggesting that oral mucosa possesses region-specific psychophysical tolerance to mechanical stimuli.     

Denture wearing and strong bite force reduce pressure pain threshold of edentulous oral mucosa

Pain in denture supporting tissue is one of the most common and critical problems affecting function and treatment outcomes in complete denture prosthetics. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of denture wearing and bite force on the pressure pain threshold (PPT) of edentulous oral mucosa. PPT was measured in denture and non-denture-wearing patients by using an electronic-controlled pressure algometer. Bite force was measured in denture-wearing patients by using a pressure-detecting sheet. The mid palate showed 200-300% higher PPT than the buccal alveolar mucosa (two-way anova, P < 0.0001). Denture-wearing patients exhibited 40% lower palatal PPT than non-denture-wearing patients. In denture-wearing patients, PPT in the selected areas of the oral mucosa was negatively correlated with bite force. Denture wearing may reduce PPT in selected areas of the edentulous oral mucosa, and the PPT reduction may be associated with mechanical stress on the mucosa generated by bite force.     

Quantitative sensory testing for assessment of somatosensory function in human oral mucosa: a review

Objective: This narrative review provides an overview of the quantitative sensory testing (QST) to assess somatosensory function in human oral mucosa.

Material and methods: A literature search was conducted in the PubMed database to identify studies in vivo on human oral mucosa using QST methods. A list of 149 articles was obtained and screened. A total of 36 relevant articles remained and were read in full text. Manual search of the reference lists identified eight additional relevant studies. A total of 44 articles were included for final assessment.

Results: The included studies were divided into six categories according to the study content and objective. In each category, there was a great variety of aims, methods, participants and outcome measures. The application of QST has nevertheless helped to monitor somatosensory function in experimental models of intraoral pain, effects of local anesthesia, after oral and maxillofacial surgery and after prosthodontic and orthodontic treatment.

Conclusions: QST has been proved to be sufficiently stable and reliable, and valuable information has been obtained regarding somatosensory function in healthy volunteers, special populations and orofacial pain patients. However, as most of the studies were highly heterogeneous, the results are difficult to compare quantitatively. A standardized intraoral QST protocol is recommended and expected to help advance a mechanism-based assessment of neuropathies and other intraoral pain conditions.     

Reliability of pain tolerance threshold testing by applying an electrical current stimulus to the alveolar ridge

The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of testing pain tolerance threshold (PTT) by applying an electrical current stimulus to the alveolar ridge. Twenty volunteers studying or working at the Nihon University School of Dentistry at Matsudo participated in this study. Participants were seated comfortably on a dental chair in a quiet room during testing. A single operator obtained mucosal PTT measurements around the right greater palatine foramen using a Neurometer CPT/C^® device (Neurotron Inc., Baltimore, MD, USA) to deliver electrical stimulation at frequencies of 5, 250 and 2000 Hz. The participant released a button to automatically discontinue the stimulus when it could no longer be tolerated. Two types of factors were confirmed: the consistency of repeated measurements and a potential carry‐over effect on PTTs. The consistency and carry‐over effects of pain with regard to PTT measurements were analysed via Cronbach's coefficient α. The Cronbach's coefficient α of PTTs calculated more than 6 days of PTT testing at 5, 250 and 2000 Hz was 0·97, 0·95 and 0·97, respectively, suggesting that the consistency of the measurements was excellent. The Cronbach's coefficient α calculated when the three frequencies of 5, 250 and 2000 Hz were applied in different orders was 0·91, 0·87 and 0·90, respectively, suggesting no carry‐over effect. In conclusion, the measurement of PTTs at the alveolar ridge as assessed by applying an electrical current stimulus with an electro‐diagnostic device exhibited excellent reliability, and thus, it constitutes a widely available option for PTT measurement in the clinical setting.     

An immunofluorescence study on the cross-reaction between Strep. 2A and human oral mucosa

abstract — Immunologic cross-reactions between Strep. 2A, fetal human oral mucosa (FHOM), and adult human oral mucosa (AHOM) were investigated by the use of a double layer immunofluorescence staining technique. Rabbit sera were prepared against Strep. 2A and FHOM. Seventeen sera from patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) and with known antibodies against Strep. 2A and AHOM were examined for antibodies against FHOM. The distribution of endpoint titers against FHOM in the sera from RAS differed significantly from the distribution in 17 controls. The immune absorptions in the rabbit sera and in the 17 sera from patients with RAS indicate that some cross-reacting antigenic determinants are shared between Strep. 2A, FHOM, and AHOM. Further, the present results indicate that antibodies are produced against antigenic determinants which are not shared by Strep. 2A, FHOM, and AHOM. The role of cross-reacting antigens in the pathogenesis of RAS is discussed but remains obscure.