Abstract
Preoperative and postoperative serum free 17-hydroxycorticosteroid determinations were carried out on 233 systemically healthy young men undergoing simple exodontic procedures. The anticipation of dental treatment produced a significant increase in preoperative steroid levels. Even though the subjects were in a state of adrenocortical hyperactivity, the exodontic procedure produced a significant additional rise in steroid concentrations. The postoperative course of cortical readjustment was virtually linear during the 2 hour experimental period. Additional studies indicated that the subsequent onset of postoperative pain due to loss of anesthesia produced a secondary cortical stimulation. Body-fluid 17-hydroxycorticosteroid measurements offer a completely objective approach to reaction studies in dental patients.
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