ABSTRACT
Topical anesthetics are routinely used to reduce the discomfort that patients perceive during dental injections. The purpose of this investigation was to correlate the expectancy of pain and the effect of pretreatment instructions with the severity of pain perceived upon topical anesthetic use and dental injection. The treatment, topical placebo versus topical anesthetic, was administered in a double-blind manner. Following testing for expectations, the administration of instructions, and placement of the topical, the injection was given. The patients were then asked to rate their injection experience on a posttreatment questionnaire. The results of this investigation reinforce the importance of psychological variables in the mediation of pain perceived during dental procedures.
Subject(s)
Anesthesia, Dental/methods , Pain Measurement , Pain/psychology , Administration, Topical , Adult , Aged , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Injections , Male , Middle Aged , PerceptionSubject(s)
Fear , Female , Humans , Male , Psychological Tests , Sex Factors , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
An approach to effective integration of the basic, behavioral, and biomaterials sciences with the clinical curriculum is described. Teaching is accomplished by both scientists and clinicians on multidisciplinary teams. The instructional format is based on terminal objectives that are stated in behavioral terms. Examples of the objectives and the manner in which they are fulfilled are presented.