Does watching a video on third molar surgery increase patients' anxiety level?

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Psychological Impact of Medical Procedures
• Patient Education Strategies

Background:

• Third molar extraction is a common surgical procedure associated with patient anxiety.
• Effective patient education is crucial for managing anxiety and improving surgical outcomes.
• Assessing the impact of different educational methods on patient anxiety is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of watching a live taping of third molar removal on patient anxiety levels.
• To compare anxiety levels before and after extraction in patients receiving different educational interventions.
• To determine the influence of multimedia information on preoperative and postoperative anxiety.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, cross-sectional, observational study involving 333 patients undergoing third molar extraction.
• Patients were randomized into three groups: verbal information only, verbal plus multimedia information, and control.
• Anxiety was measured using the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI); pain was assessed via a visual analog scale.

Main Results:

• Patients receiving verbal and multimedia information (Group 2) exhibited significantly higher preoperative anxiety.
• This group also demonstrated the most substantial decrease in DAS and STAI scores post-procedure.
• Female patients reported higher anxiety levels; age, surgery duration, and education level did not correlate with anxiety or pain.

Conclusions:

• Preoperative exposure to multimedia information, such as videos of third molar surgery, can increase patient anxiety.
• Despite initial anxiety increases, multimedia interventions may lead to greater anxiety reduction post-surgery.
• Targeted interventions may be necessary for specific demographics, such as female patients, to manage dental anxiety effectively.