Evaluation of anxiety associated with endodontic treatment: a literature review
Evaluation of anxiety associated with endodontic treatment: a literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51473/rcmos.v1i2.2025.1590Keywords:
Endodontics; Dental Anxiety; Phobic Disorders; Nitrous Oxide; Hipnosis Dental.Abstract
Endodontic treatment is one of the procedures most feared by patients, mainly due to the pain and anxiety it can cause. Dental anxiety directly interferes with treatment, and can lead patients to postpone or even avoid care. Given this, it is essential to understand the factors that trigger this fear and the strategies used to control it. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anxiety associated with endodontic treatment, identifying its main causes and the most effective control methods described in the literature. This is a literature review conducted in the PubMed, SciELO, and BVS Salud databases, using the descriptors Endodontics, Dental Anxiety, Phobic Disorders, Nitrous Oxide, and Dental Hypnosis, with a time frame between 2015 and 2025. Articles that specifically addressed the relationship between anxiety and endodontic treatment in patients of different ages and profiles were included, and those that did not directly address the topic were excluded. The results showed that conscious sedation with nitrous oxide, the use of benzodiazepines, and non-pharmacological techniques, such as music therapy, detailed explanation of the procedure, and dental hypnosis, are effective in reducing fear and improving the patient experience. It is concluded that proper anxiety management is essential for the success of endodontic treatment, promoting a more humanized, safe, and comfortable care.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Eric Felipe Silva Gomes, Saffira Serafim de Sousa Sampaio, Helton Diego Dantas Linhares , Marcílio Oliveira Melo, Matheus Araújo Brito Santos Lopes, Marta Rosado de Oliveira Campos (Autor)
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