Anxiety before extraction of impacted lower third molars

Area of Science:

• Oral Surgery
• Psychology
• Medical Statistics

Background:

• Anxiety is a common concern for patients undergoing surgical procedures, particularly dental extractions.
• Understanding preoperative anxiety levels is crucial for patient management and improving surgical outcomes.
• Several validated scales exist for measuring different facets of anxiety, but their correlation and reliability in the context of third molar surgery require specific investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess trait anxiety, state anxiety, and dental anxiety in patients prior to lower third molar extraction.
• To examine the correlations between different anxiety measures.
• To evaluate the reliability of the selected anxiety assessment scales.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 125 patients undergoing lower third molar extraction.
• Patients completed four preoperative anxiety scales: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait (STAI-T), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State (STAI-S), Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS), and Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS).
• Statistical analysis was performed to determine correlations and reliability (Cronbach's alpha).

Main Results:

• Patients exhibited low trait anxiety but moderate state and dental anxiety.
• Older patients and women reported higher trait anxiety and dental anxiety, respectively.
• Significant positive correlations were found between all four anxiety scales, with STAI-S showing the highest correlation.
• All scales demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach's alpha > 0.80).

Conclusions:

• Elevated trait and state anxiety levels are associated with increased dental anxiety in patients undergoing third molar extractions.
• The STAI-T, STAI-S, DAS, and APAIS are reliable tools for assessing preoperative anxiety in this patient group.
• The STAI-S scale is particularly recommended due to its high correlation and reliability.