Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Experimental Model of Ligature-Induced Peri-Implantitis in Mice
Published on: May 17, 2024
Memory of pain and anxiety associated with tooth extraction
D W McNeil1, A J Helfer, B D Weaver
1Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, 53 Campus Drive, PO Box 6040, Morgantown, WV 26506-6040, USA. Daniel.McNeil@mail.wvu.edu
Abstract:
Concerns regarding pain constitute a large component of dental anxiety, and patients with high dental anxiety are likely to have exaggerated memory and prediction of dental pain. It remains to be investigated, however, if memory of anxiety is exaggerated in a manner similar to that of pain, and if anxiety and pain assimilate in memory over time. A sample of 79 patients presenting for emergency extraction rated their anxiety and pain before, during, and two weeks after the procedure. Measures of trait dental anxiety and fear of pain also were collected. All patients exaggerated their recall of procedure pain, but only those high in trait dental anxiety exaggerated their recall of anxiety. Highly anxious patients reported more pain prior to the procedure and expected more pain; ratings of anxiety and pain for all participants assimilated over time.
Related Concept Videos
Traumatic Memory
Role of Amygdala in Memory
One of the...
Tonsillitis II: Management
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones
Nutrient Artery
The nutrient artery is the main blood vessel that enters the diaphysis via the nutrient foramen. While most long bones have only one nutrient foramen, large bones, such as the femur, may have two. This...
Analgesia and Pain Management
