A cross-sectional study on dental anxiety and state anxiety related to removal of fixed partial dentures

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the clinical removal of fixed partial dentures on oral health-related quality of life and the anxiety values of individuals and to determine the clinical factors of high anxiety levels.

In total, 300 participants were included in the study. Six different reasons for the clinical removal of fixed partial dentures (oral examination, denture renewal, endodontic treatment, tooth extraction, periodontal treatment, and composite filling restoration) were defined. The United Kingdom Oral Health-Related Quality-of-Life Measure (OHRQoL-UK), the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory- State (STAI-S) and Trait (STAI-T) were answered. The reason groups were compared using one-way analyses of variance. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the risk factors for high anxiety.

There was no significant difference in OHRQoL-UK scores (P = .279) among the reason groups, but there were significant differences in MDAS, STAI-S, and STAI-T scores (P = .004, P .001, P = .018, respectively) among the reason groups. Endodontic treatment, tooth extraction, and sex were determined to be risk factors, considering the anxiety scales.

Females are 2.2 times more likely to have trait anxiety than men. Although the effect of the reason for the clinical removal of fixed partial dentures on oral health-related quality of life was similar among the groups, it is concluded that endodontic treatment and tooth extraction reasons for the clinical removal of fixed partial dentures could be risk factors for high anxiety regardless of fixed partial denture usage time.