Postoperative recovery after removal of a lower third molar: role of trait and dental anxiety.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate trait and dental anxiety influence on postoperative recovery after lower third molar surgery and to determine the effect of anxiety on surgery duration. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study was performed of 145 patients who underwent lower third molar extractions. Dental anxiety was evaluated using the Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS), Kleinknecht 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. Surgery duration, postoperative pain, swelling, and trismus were also recorded. RESULTS: Patients with high trait anxiety showed more pain according to all of the postoperative measures and to a significant degree in the last 2 postoperative days evaluated. Patients with high dental anxiety had greater trismus according to the DAS and to the dental stimuli dimension of the DFS. The average surgery time was higher in patients with high anxiety, for all of the measures used, although this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Patients with high trait or dental anxiety may tend to require longer surgery times and have poorer postoperative recovery.

Papel de la experiencia en la aceptación vs. rechazo del paciente con ezquizofrenia / The role of experiencie on acceptance vs. rejection of the patient with schizophrenia

En esta investigación se analiza la influencia que pueden tener distintos tipos y grados de experiencia con la enfermedad mental en la aceptación vs. rechazo del paciente con esquizofrenia.Participaron en el estudio 236 estudiantes universitarios que cumplimentaron una escala de distancia social relacionada con una viñeta en la que se describe un episodio psicótico de un paciente (hombre o mujer) con esquizofrenia y una escala que evalúa distintos tipos y grados de experiencia con la enfermedad mental y el paciente mental. Los resultados muestran que losdiferentes tipos y grados de experiencia con la enfermedad mental influyen en la aceptación vs. rechazo del paciente con esquizofrenia. La experiencia indirecta se asoció con mayor rechazo social que la experiencia directa.

This research analyzes the influence of different types and degrees of experience with mental illness regarding acceptance vs. rejection of mental disorders and of the patient with schizophrenia. 236 university students were involved in the study by filling a social distance scale related with a vignette describing a psychotic episode of a patient (man or woman) withschizophrenia and a scale assessing different types and degrees of experience with mental illness and mental patients. Results show differences regarding both the type and degree of experience with regard to the social distance to the patient with schizophrenia. Indirect experience was significantly associated with higher social rejection than direct experience.

Relationships between surgical difficulty and postoperative pain in lower third molar extractions.

PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of surgical difficulty on postoperative pain after extraction of mandibular third molars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was performed of 139 patients who underwent a total of 157 mandibular third molar extractions. For evaluation of surgical difficulty, a 4-class scale was completed after surgery: I, extraction with forceps only; II, extraction requiring osteotomy; III, extraction requiring osteotomy and coronal section; IV, complex extraction (root section). The duration of surgery was also recorded. Postoperative pain was evaluated using a visual analog scale that each patient completed daily until day 6 postsurgery, at which time the sutures were removed. RESULTS: A statistically significant relationship was observed between surgical difficulty (as rated on the scale) and postoperative pain. Longer interventions generally produced more pain. CONCLUSIONS: Pain after extraction of a mandibular third molar increases with increased surgical difficulty and duration of the intervention.

Attitudes of university students towards people with paranoid schizophrenia.

To study attitudes towards persons with paranoid schizophrenia of first- and final-year university students taking three different majors, Link's Social Distance Scale, modified to relate to several vignettes presenting different descriptions of a patient with paranoid schizophrenia, was administered to 617 university students ages 18 to 29 years (M = 21.1, SD = 2.6). 423 were women and 194 men. Analysis indicates fourth year psychology majors reported the greatest acceptance of persons with paranoid schizophrenia. The most efficient vignette in diminishing rejection of the portrayed patient included information on the patient's psychosocial rehabilitation status. University students' attitudes appear to vary with the training they receive and the kind of information they have about the patient.

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.