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Reliability of pain tolerance threshold testing by applying an electrical current stimulus to the alveolar ridge
Author(s) -
Nakashima Y.,
Kimoto S.,
Kawai Y.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of oral rehabilitation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2842
pISSN - 0305-182X
DOI - 10.1111/joor.12181
Subject(s) - reliability (semiconductor) , stimulus (psychology) , reliability engineering , psychology , engineering , cognitive psychology , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics
Summary The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of testing pain tolerance threshold ( PTT ) by applying an electrical current stimulus to the alveolar ridge. Twenty volunteers studying or working at the N ihon U niversity S chool of D entistry at M atsudo participated in this study. Participants were seated comfortably on a dental chair in a quiet room during testing. A single operator obtained mucosal PTT measurements around the right greater palatine foramen using a Neurometer CPT /C ® device (Neurotron Inc., Baltimore, MD , USA ) to deliver electrical stimulation at frequencies of 5, 250 and 2000 Hz. The participant released a button to automatically discontinue the stimulus when it could no longer be tolerated. Two types of factors were confirmed: the consistency of repeated measurements and a potential carry‐over effect on PTT s. The consistency and carry‐over effects of pain with regard to PTT measurements were analysed via Cronbach's coefficient α . The Cronbach's coefficient α of PTT s calculated more than 6 days of PTT testing at 5, 250 and 2000 Hz was 0·97, 0·95 and 0·97, respectively, suggesting that the consistency of the measurements was excellent. The Cronbach's coefficient α calculated when the three frequencies of 5, 250 and 2000 Hz were applied in different orders was 0·91, 0·87 and 0·90, respectively, suggesting no carry‐over effect. In conclusion, the measurement of PTT s at the alveolar ridge as assessed by applying an electrical current stimulus with an electro‐diagnostic device exhibited excellent reliability, and thus, it constitutes a widely available option for PTT measurement in the clinical setting.