(TC57) Integrating Medical-grade Technology for Pain Assessment in Endodontics

Pain is a subjective experience resulting from the activation of nociceptors in response to a harmful or damaging stimulus.  Traditional methods for assessing pain, such as the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and Verbal Rating Scale (VRS), are commonly used in both clinical and research settings. However, these subjective pain assessment tools have limitations, as they rely on self-reporting which can vary greatly depending on personal thresholds and perceptions of pain. To complement subjective pain measures, physiological markers may serve as more objective indicators of pain. Wearable medical devices enable real-time monitoring of physiological data, providing promising solutions for enhancing pain assessment. The EmbracePlus device (EP) (Empatica Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA) collects real-time data, tracks physiological responses to noxious stimuli, and enables objective predictions of pain during treatment. The EP is equipped with a variety of sensors:  a ventral electrodermal activity, a four-channel multi-wavelength photoplethysmogram, a high-precision 3D accelerometer and gyroscope, and a digital temperature. In this table clinic, we will explore the correlation between physiological data captured by the EP device and patient-reported pain levels during endodontic procedures. We will discuss the advantages of collecting both objective and subjective data during the assessment of pain. Integrating subjective pain ratings with physiological data enables clinicians and researchers to gain deeper insights into pain mechanisms, particularly in endodontic contexts, and to enhance pain management strategies. These devices hold significant potential to advance dental pain management and pave the way for personalized, real-time pain treatment approaches.