Is acupuncture sufficient as the sole analgesic in oral surgery?

Twenty-six patients who were undergoing operative removal of an impacted third molar were given acupuncture as an alternative to conventional local analgesia. Pain ratings during different stages of the surgical procedure showed that gingival and periosteal incisions were tolerated, with only minor pain experienced by 18 of the patients. During mucoperiosteal flap dissection 12 patients experienced unacceptable pain. In total, only 2 of the patients tolerated the entire procedure; however, they reported severe pain during the final part of the operation. In conclusion, it seems that acupuncture as performed in the present study could not subserve as a routine method for analgesia in this type of operative procedure.