Electroencephalogram as an Objective Method for Recording Pain after Endodontic Noxious Stimuli

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Dental Research

Background:

• Noxious endodontic stimuli present challenges in objective pain assessment.
• Theta wave activity is explored for its potential in pain detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the significance of theta waves in detecting noxious endodontic stimuli.
• To determine the validity of theta wave activity as an objective measure of pain severity.

Main Methods:

• 300 patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis underwent EEG monitoring using a consumer-grade device.
• Theta wave activity and visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores were recorded during dental stimuli application.
• Statistical analysis included signed-rank tests and Spearman's correlation, with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons.

Main Results:

• Significantly higher theta wave activity and VAS pain scores were observed on the inflamed side compared to the control side (P < .001).
• A moderate positive correlation (0.3 < rs < 0.5, P < .001) was found between theta wave activity and VAS pain scores.
• Females exhibited higher theta band power and reported higher pain scores on the inflamed side compared to males.

Conclusions:

• Monitoring theta brain wave activity presents a promising objective method for assessing pain levels.
• EEG-based pain assessment offers a potential advancement in clinical pain monitoring.