Brazilian Scientific Research about Acupuncture in Dentistry: Bibliometric Analysis of the Papers Presented at SBPqO Meetings

AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate the Brazilian scientific production about acupuncture in dentistry, outlining the profile of the works about the subject presented at the Meetings of the Brazilian Society of Dental Research (SBPqO). It was a cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach, based on secondary data. An analysis of all abstracts presented in the last ten SBPqO Meetings (2009-2018) published in the annals of the event was carried out. For the research the location of the term "acupuntura" or "acupuncture" among the abstracts was realized and the following information was collected: type of institution that carried out the research (public or private), Brazilian region where it was realized, area or specialty of dentistry and whether it involved humans or animals. Of the 26,514 dental research abstracts published in the annals, only 27 papers were experimental studies or systematic reviews about the subject. Of the total, 23 (85.2%) were developed in public institutions, 15 (55.6%) did not receive financial support 20 (74.1%) were carried out in humans and 13 (48.2%) were developed in the Southeast region. Regarding the dental specialty, the majority (70.4%) investigated acupuncture in "Temporomandibular Dysfunction and Orofacial Pain". Therefore, it can be concluded that few acupuncture studies in dentistry have been developed in the last ten years in Brazil, according to the papers presented at the SBPqO Meetings. Thus, it is suggested that research on the subject be carried out and widely disseminated between the academic and professional milieu. Keywords: Acupuncture Therapy. Dental Research. Complementary Therapies. ResumoO objetivo desse estudo foi investigar a producao cientifica brasileira sobre a acupuntura na odontologia, tracando o perfil dos trabalhos sobre a tematica apresentados nas Reunioes da Sociedade Brasileira de Pesquisa Odontologica (SBPqO). Tratou-se de um estudo transversal, com abordagem quantitativa, a partir de dados secundarios.  Realizou-se uma analise de todos os resumos apresentados nas ultimas dez Reunioes da SBPqO (2009-2018) publicados nos anais do evento. Para pesquisa procedeu-se a localizacao do termo “acupuntura” ou “acupuncture” entre os resumos e foram colhidas as seguintes informacoes: tipo de instituicao que realizou a pesquisa (publica ou privada), regiao brasileira onde foi realizada, recebimento de auxilio financeiro, area ou especialidade da odontologia e se envolvia humanos ou animais. Dos 26.514 resumos de pesquisa odontologica publicados em anais, apenas 27 trabalhos tratavam de estudos experimentais ou revisoes sistematicas sobre a tematica. Do total, 23 (85,2%) foram desenvolvidos em instituicoes publicas, 15 (55,6%) nao receberam auxilio financeiro, 20 (74,1%) foram realizados em humanos e 13 (48,2%) desenvolvidos na regiao Sudeste do Brasil. Com relacao a especialidade odontologica, a maioria (70,4%) pesquisou sobre a acupuntura na “Disfuncao Temporomandibular e Dor Orofacial”. Os achados do presente estudo indicam que poucas pesquisas abordando a acupuntura na odontologia foram desenvolvidas nos ultimos dez anos no Brasil, de acordo com os trabalhos apresentados nas Reunioes da SBPqO. Diante disso, sugere-se que pesquisas sobre o tema sejam realizadas e amplamente divulgadas entre o meio academico e profissionais. Palavras-chave: Terapia por Acupuntura. Pesquisa em Odontologia. Terapias Complementares.