Dental Anxiety Before Removal of a Third Molar and Association With General Trait Anxiety
Purpose
The aim of the present study was to evaluate dental anxiety in patients consulting for third molar removal, and to assess possible relationships with general trait anxiety.
Materials and Methods
Dental anxiety was measured using Corah’s Anxiety Scale (DAS), the Dental Fear Survey (DFS), and the state anxiety scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Trait anxiety was measured with the trait anxiety scale of the STAI.
Results
Trait anxiety showed significant positive correlations with both DAS score and DFS score. The 3 measures of dental anxiety all showed significant positive correlations with each other. The difference between men and women was only statistically significant in the case of trait anxiety.
Conclusion
These results suggest that trait anxiety may be a useful predictor of a patient’s predisposition to dental anxiety.
⁎Postgraduate Student, Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine Unit, Dental School, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
†Postgraduate Student, Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine Unit, Dental School, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
‡Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
§Professor, Department of Methodology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
∥Professor of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
¶Professor of Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry; and Head of Section, Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Garcia-Garcia: University of Santiago de Compostela, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, Department of Stomatology, Entrerrios s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
ABSTRACT