Anxiety Associated With Endodontic Therapy: An Evaluative Study

Patients treated for endodontic reasons might experience anxiety due to the pain associated with this procedure. This anxiety can be managed by psychotherapy or pharmacological intervention or combination of the two. This study was carried out to assess the level of anxiety associated with pain precipitated during the endodontic treatment. It also assessed the various ways by which this anxiety could be brought down. Amongst the patients who underwent endodontic treatment, in the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, 100 were selected on the basis of having experienced pain during the endodontic treatment. After completion of the treatment, these patient were given a questionnaire to fill. It contained 12 questions to assess the level of anxiety, they could experience in future, during any endodontic procedure and the ways in which it could be brought down or controlled. Subjects who were given the positive information regarding endodontic treatment indicated that they were less fearful of pain associated with endodontic treatment. As a result, the patient may be more at ease before and during treatment, avoidance behaviour may be decreased and the patients can make a decision regarding treatment choice which is based on common sense rather than fearful expectations.