Rosted P
Sheffield University, UK.
Oral Dis. 1998 Jun;4(2):100-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1601-0825.1998.tb00265.x.
To review the scientific validity of published papers on the efficacy of acupuncture in dentistry based on predefined methodological criteria.
A literature search performed by the Royal Society of Medicine and the University Library, Copenhagen, Denmark was able to identify 74 papers written in English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Italian, French and Russian published between 1966 and 1996. The search words were: acupuncture and electro-acupuncture, randomised controlled trials (RCT), dental pain, postoperative dental pain, painrelieving in dentistry, and dental analgesia. Among the 74 listed papers, 48 papers were reviewed in the following languages: English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and German. Fifteen papers were excluded because they were written in French, Italian or Russian; 11 papers were excluded because the abstract clearly indicated the paper was not a RCT or the paper was of a general nature without relevance to acupuncture.
To assess the methodological quality of the included papers, all papers were scored on the basis of predefined criteria. A total of 92 points could be achieved and on the basis of this scale papers were rated as: Excellent (85-100%), Good (70-84%), Fair (60-69%) and Bad (< 60%).
Fifteen out of 48 papers met the inclusion criteria.
Only one study met the criteria with more than 85%. Five studies met the criteria with 70-84%. Three studies met the criteria with 60-69%. Six studies did not meet the criteria. Acupuncture in 11 out of 15 studies proved effective in the treatment of temperomandibular dysfunction (TMD) and as analgesia. Four studies showed no effect of acupuncture.
The value of acupuncture as an analgesic must be questioned. The effect of acupuncture in treating TMD and facial pain seems real and acupuncture could be a valuable alternative to orthodox treatment.
根据预先设定的方法学标准，回顾已发表的关于针灸在牙科领域疗效的论文的科学有效性。
英国皇家医学院和丹麦哥本哈根大学图书馆进行的文献检索，共识别出1966年至1996年间以英文、德文、丹麦文、瑞典文、挪威文、意大利文、法文和俄文撰写的74篇论文。检索词为：针灸与电针、随机对照试验（RCT）、牙痛、牙科术后疼痛、牙科止痛以及牙科镇痛。在列出的74篇论文中，48篇论文以以下语言进行了综述：英文、丹麦文、瑞典文、挪威文和德文。15篇论文被排除，因为它们是用法文、意大利文或俄文撰写的；11篇论文被排除，因为摘要明确表明该论文不是随机对照试验，或者该论文性质一般，与针灸无关。
为评估纳入论文的方法学质量，所有论文均根据预先设定的标准进行评分。总共可获得92分，根据此评分标准，论文被评为：优秀（85 - 100%）、良好（70 - 84%）、中等（60 - 69%）和差（< 60%）。
48篇论文中有15篇符合纳入标准。
只有1项研究符合85%以上的标准。5项研究符合70 - 84%的标准。3项研究符合60 - 69%的标准。6项研究不符合标准。15项研究中的11项表明针灸在治疗颞下颌关节紊乱症（TMD）和镇痛方面有效。4项研究表明针灸无效。
针灸作为一种镇痛方法的价值值得质疑。针灸在治疗TMD和面部疼痛方面的效果似乎是真实的，并且针灸可能是传统治疗的一种有价值的替代方法。
