Anxiety and Changes in Physiological Parameters During Surgical Procedures for Removal of Impacted Mandibular Third Molars in Young Adults

Anxiety and fear of dental treatment accompany each dental procedure. Anxiety experienced by patients prior to surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars has an effect on postoperative pain intensity and physiological cardiac parameters. To assess the anxiety in young adult patients who are about to undergo surgery for removal of impacted mandibular third molars and the effect on patients’ physiological parameters and postoperative pain intensity. 40 patients with bilaterally impacted mandibular third molars were studied. Anxiety reported using the STAI scale; physiological parameters; intensity of postoperative pain rated using a VAS were assessed. All participants in the study had an interview with a psychologist at the screening visit. With regard to anxiety, in males (Xm before the first surgical procedure 34.42±7.53; Xm before the second surgical procedure 30.00±6.03), and in females (Xm before the first surgical procedure 37.64±11.65; Xm before the second surgical procedure 34.43±11.76, respectively), there was a clear trend to a decrease in the total score for anxiety as a state before the second procedure, which is statistically significant in both sexes (paired t-test, t = 2.13, p = 0.059, in males and t = 1.14, p = 0.263 in females). In the second procedure, we found a significant moderate positive correlation between preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain at 6, 24, 48 hours in females (r = 0.56, r = 0.41 and r = 0.45, p < 0.05, respectively), but not in males. Preoperative anxiety before removal of impacted mandibular third molars has an effect on the intensity of postoperative pain and heart rate, but not on the blood pressure and oxygen saturation. Clinical article (J Int Dent Med Res 2021; 14(1): 221-227)