New objects and social actors produced by positive evidence of the use of complementary and integrative practices in the field of oral health

The Federal Dental Council recognized and regulated in Brazil the Complementary and Integrative Practices (CIP) in oral health: Acupuncture, Laser Therapy, Homeopathy, Hypnosis, Flower therapy and Phytotherapy. The objective of this study is to critically analyze the new objects and social actors in the field of dentistry produced from the results of a systematic review about the positive scientific evidences of the CIP use. We selected Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) with favorable outcome to the CIP in the period 2000 to 2010. The database used was PubMed, and the RCTs were classified according to the type of clinical application used and specialty of dentistry. We identified 47 RCT, 20 (42%) of Phytotherapy, 14 (30%) of Laser Therapy, 11 (24%) of Acupuncture and 2 (4%) of Homeopathy. The bibliographic findings revealed 23 clinical applications of CIP in dentistry and these most frequently used in periodontal disease (n= 9; 20%), orofacial pain (n=6, 13%), biofilm (n=6, 13%) and surgical analgesia (n=4, 9%). The results indicate, briefly, the predominant use of Phytotherapy, mainly applied in Periodontics and coadjuvant use of all CIP analyzed. The results indicate, briefly, the predominant use of Phytotherapy, mainly applied in Periodontics and coadjuvant use of all CIP analyzed. It is concluded that the official recognition of PIC in the field of dentistry is taking the invisibility of social actors and bringing them into the arena of dispute the model of dental care and healing on many fronts since it already lists more than two dozen applications in the field of CIP oral health. However, studies are needed to analyze the quality and the potential clinical application of these Practices in buccal health as well as the different capitals ported by its advocates and its development strategies. This research is supported by FAPESP process number 2010/05217-0.