Effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for controlling pain associated with orthodontic tooth movement.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) was assessed for its effect on periodontal pain associated with orthodontic separation. Forty-five adult subjects were randomly assigned to a TENS group, a placebo TENS group, and a control group. They were further subdivided into intraoral and extraoral electrode placement, and 1-, 2-, and 3-day treatment duration groups. In each patient orthodontic separators were placed mesial and distal to the upper first molars, bilaterally. Subjects were asked to rate their discomfort every 12 hours for 4 days with a 10 cm visual analogue scale. The results showed a significant decrease in reported pain for those subjects in the TENS group at the 24-, 36-, and 48-hour assessment periods as compared to either the placebo or control group. In the control group postseparation discomfort continued through the 60-hour assessment period. The present study suggests that TENS is an effective nonpharmacologic method of controlling postadjustment tooth pain.