J Orofac Pain
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Postoperative pain relief after surgical removal of impacted third molars: a single-blind, randomized, controlled study to compare levobupivacaine and mepivacaine.
To compare the efficacy of 0.75% levobupivacaine with that of 3% mepivacaine for pain control after surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars. ⋯ Levobupivacaine is a valid alternative to traditional local anesthetics for surgical removal of lower third molars. It presents better pain relief when compared to mepivacaine in the immediate postoperative period as evidenced by lower VAS scores.
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To summarize literature data about the role of psychosocial factors in the etiology of bruxism. ⋯ Wake clenching seems to be associated with psychosocial factors and a number of psychopathological symptoms, while there is no evidence to relate sleep bruxism with psychosocial disorders. Future research should be directed toward the achievement of a better distinction between the two forms of bruxism in order to facilitate the design of experimental studies on this topic.
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This article presents a comprehensive review of the topic of placebos, with a special focus on placebo analgesia. It includes a discussion of how placebos work (the placebo effect) and how patients react to them (the placebo response). A literature search was performed to identify relevant literature and publications related to the topic, and a qualitative assessment of papers was undertaken based on accepted rules for scientific evidence. ⋯ Acupuncture and splint therapy can be good examples of powerful placebos in the field of TMD, and both of these are discussed in detail. Present knowledge suggests that every treatment for pain contains a placebo component, which sometimes is as powerful as the so-called "active" counterpart. While the deceptive use of placebos must be considered unethical, every health provider who is treating pain patients must be aware of this important phenomenon in order to harness its huge potential.
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To investigate (1) differences in heart rate variability (HRV) indices between masticatory muscle pain (MMP) patients and pain-free controls at rest, during a stressor condition, and during a post-stressor recovery period, and (2) factors including psychological distress, social environment, and family-of-origin characteristics in the MMP sample compared to a pain-free matched control sample. ⋯ These results provide further evidence of physiological activation and emotional responding in MMP patients that differentiates them from matched pain-free controls. The use of HRV indices to measure physiological functioning quantifies the degree of sympathetic and parasympathetic activation. Study results suggest the use of these HRV indices may improve understanding of the role of excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms in patients with MMP conditions.