Prediction of pain in orthodontic patients based on preoperative pain assessment

Baoyu Zheng,1 Manman Ren,2 Feiou Lin,3 Linjie Yao4 1Periodontic Department, 2Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, School and Hospital of Stomatology, 3Orthodontic Department, 4Pedodontic Department, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China Aim: To investigate whether pretreatment assessment of experimental pain can predict the level of pain after archwire placement.Methods: One hundred and twenty-one general university students seeking orthodontic treatment were enrolled in this study. A cold pressor test was performed to estimate the pain tolerance of subjects before treatment. Self-reported pain intensity was calculated using a 10 cm visual analog scale during the 7 days after treatment. The relationship between pain tolerance and orthodontic pain was analyzed using Spearman’s correlation analysis.Results: The maximum mean level of pain intensity occurred at 24 hours after bonding (53.31±16.13) and fell to normal levels at day 7. Spearman’s correlation analysis found a moderate positive association between preoperative pain tolerance and self-reported pain after archwire placement (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in pain intensity between male and female patients at any time point (P>0.05).Conclusion: A simple and noninvasive preoperative sensory test (the cold pressor test) was useful in predicting the risk of developing unbearable pain in patients after archwire placement. Self-reported pain after archwire placement decreased as individual pain tolerance increased. Keywords: cold pressor test, intensity, self-reporte