Evaluation and comparison of anxiety levels after using Guided Imagery technique for relaxation and modified Guided Imagery-Hypnotherapy technique in 6 to 14 year-old children undergoing local anesthesia administration

Abstract

Anxiety has been defined as a “vague, unpleasant feeling accompanied by a premonition that something undesirable is about to happen”. Dental anxiety is driven by a strong negative or unpleasant emotion towards a dental office or dental procedures. Children with a high level of dental anxiety are more resistant to treatment, and due to this avoidance in dental care can lead to needing more dental treatments. The quality of a treatment being carried out, as well as what materials that are to be used, is directly influenced by a child’s level of cooperation and ability to follow instructions. Behaviour management techniques play a major role during all paediatric treatment procedures, and it is the clinician who is responsible to properly and safely guide the child’s behaviour. Guided Imagery is a visual and sensory-based complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) technique. In hypnotherapy which is a type of mind-body intervention; increased suggestibility is used in the treatment of a medical or psychological disease or condition. Therefore, there is a need of a newer modality based on guided imagery and hypnotherapy to be used in as a whole or in tandem with other conventional behaviour management techniques. The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare anxiety levels after using Guided Imagery for relaxation and modified Guided Imagery-Hypnotherapy techniques in 6-14 year-old children undergoing local anesthesia administration.