Acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) – An Emerging Adjunct in Routine Oral Care

Abstract

Acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) (‘acus’ (needle) + ‘punctura’ (to puncture)) is the stimulation of specific points along the skin of the body involving various methods such as penetration by thin needles or the application of heat, pressure, or laser light. Acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) aims to treat a range of medical and dental ailments, though is most commonly used for pain relief. This article reviews about the various possible roles of acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) in clinical dental practice. Acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) has potential in supplementing conventional treatment procedures by its diverse applicability outreach. Role of acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) in dental practice has been well supported by clinical trials. Its role in alleviating facial pain, pre-operative and post-operative dental pain has led to its widespread application. Its role as sole analgesic for treatment procedure has to be tested. It's It is a thought that acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) may prove an indispensible supplement to conventional treatment modalities and more of clinical trials and studies are required to prove the efficacy. Acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) is not a miracle cure and is not going to replace the drill. However, the technique can be a supplement to conventional treatments in TMDs, facial pain, pain management Sjoegrens syndrome, and in phobias and anxiety. The application and use of Acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ) comes with some side effects. Proper training needs to be obtained before commencement of any procedure related to acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ). Various training programs are offered to train clinical practitioners the apt method to use acupuncture (針灸 Zhēn Jiǔ).