Evaluation of anxiety in patients undergoing complete denture treatment

AIM: To evaluate anxiety in patients undergoing complete denture treatment. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The most overlooked factor during complete denture treatment is the patient's anxiety regarding the treatment. The awareness amongst dentists regarding such anxiety and its effects on the complete denture treatment is important to form a proper communication channel through which measures to ease this anxiety can be formulated and implemented. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A valid pre-structured questionnaire of 10 questions was presented to the patients desirous of receiving complete dentures after obtaining an informed consent. The questionnaire for the survey was filled and collected from 500 patients receiving complete denture treatment. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Reasons inducing anxiety included: materials used – 359 (71.8%), sight of instruments – 71 (14.2%), dental chair – 66 (13.2%), airotor – 4 (0.8%), denture breakage – 225 (45.0%), ill-fitting prostheses – 153 (30.6%), repeated removal and insertion of dentures 104 (20.8%), swallowing the denture 19 (3.8%). Factors aggravating anxiety included: gagging while impression making – 298 (59.6%), mouth fullness – 122 (24.4%), swallowing the impression material – 61 (12.2%), breathlessness – 20 (4%). 422 (84.4%) patients indicated comfort with the procedure being explained beforehand, 429 (85.8%) patients indicating more so in a language understood by them. CONCLUSION: There is a greater need that the patient's expectations be understood and their doubts, concerns and fears be lessened by proper communication. Proper understanding of patient's mental attitude will help us improve the approach of dentists towards complete denture treatment in a more patient friendly way.