Abstract
Background The aim of the present study is to compare the dental anxiety levels between two outpatient clinics. Methods Two hundred and seventy patients treated in two different clinics of minor oral surgery and dental extraction polyclinic in the Dental Faculty of Eskisehir Osmangazi University were included in the study. The impacted third molar surgery group and conventional dental extraction group consisted of 101 and 169 patients, respectively. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and Dental Fear Scale (DFS) were used to measure anxiety levels in patients treated in both clinics. Tests were made in an isolated room preoperatively. The differences in anxiety levels according to education status and gender were also evaluated. Results The impacted third molar surgery group showed a significant increase in dental anxiety measured with DFS questionnaire (p < 0.05). However, MDAS revealed that there was no difference between anxiety levels between the impacted third molar surgery and conventional dental extraction groups (p > 0.05). There was also no difference in anxiety levels between patients with different education status (p > 0.05). Female patients demonstrated higher levels of anxiety in both MDAS and DFS indexes (p < 0.05). Conclusion Dental anxiety may be higher in patients treated with impacted third molar surgery compared with conventional dental extraction. The education status of patients may not affect dental anxiety. Female patients may show increased levels of dental anxiety in conventional dental and impacted third molar extractions.
Highlights
Dental anxiety is a common concept that is defined as a mixture of feelings of unease, worry, and fear when a person encounters with dental treatment [1]
Patients generally have an unpleasant notion as of the third molar removal surgery before they admit to the oral surgery clinic and expect a longer and complicated surgery when compared to conventional dental extraction
The null hypothesis of the current study proposes that there is no difference in the dental anxiety and fear perceived by the patients before third molar extraction and conventional dental extraction
Summary
Dental anxiety is a common concept that is defined as a mixture of feelings of unease, worry, and fear when a person encounters with dental treatment [1]. Patients generally have an unpleasant notion as of the third molar removal surgery before they admit to the oral surgery clinic and expect a longer and complicated surgery when compared to conventional dental extraction. The impacted third molar surgery group and conventional dental extraction group consisted of 101 and 169 patients, respectively. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and Dental Fear Scale (DFS) were used to measure anxiety levels in patients treated in both clinics. MDAS revealed that there was no difference between anxiety levels between the impacted third molar surgery and conventional dental extraction groups (p > 0:05). Dental anxiety may be higher in patients treated with impacted third molar surgery compared with conventional dental extraction. Female patients may show increased levels of dental anxiety in conventional dental and impacted third molar extractions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
