Application of low-frequency electricity and stellate ganglion block therapy to inferior alveolar neuroparalysis following tooth extraction : Evaluation of facial skin temperature elevations via thermography

Mentolabial paralysis occurs as a result of inferior alveolar nerve injury consequent to tooth extraction. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) therapy, acupuncture and magnetic electrotherapy (AME) are utilized for the treatment of neuroparalysis following tooth extraction. The SGB therapy includes 30injections (2-3times/week) as a single set, and subsequently, the therapeutic effects are re-evaluated. To determine the efficacy of the treatment, patient symptoms and skin temperature increase at the site of the hypoesthesia serves as indices. Subtle temperature changes, which were detected via thermography, were converted into numeric values in this study. Treatment was conducted in collaboration with the family dentist over a 20-month period from the 5^ to the 25^ month from the onset of the hypoesthesia. The mean temperatures at the site of the hypoesthesia was compared, for an SGB-only (n=5) and an SGB/AME combination (n=5) treatment. The results found that the level of hypoesthesia, which was measured with a Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (SW) sensory tester, improved from φ3.84 to φ2.44-3.22. The temperature at the site of the hypoesthesia increased by 0.8℃ following the SGB injection ; in contrast, the temperature at the site of hypoesthesia increased by 2.5℃ following application of the SGB/AME combination. In inferior alveolar neuroparalysis arising as a consequence of tooth extraction, the surface thermo graphic temperature measurement at the site of the hypoesthesia was effective to observe the temperature increase due to SGB injection and to the SGB/AME combination ; additionally, it offers a substantiation for the treatment efficacy for the patients