Effects of pain catastrophizing and anxiety on analgesic use after surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars

Abstract

Background: In dentistry, pain is a factor that negatively affects treatments and drug use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlations of the postoperative analgesic use with pain catastrophizing and anxiety in patients who underwent removal of an impacted mandibular third molar. Methods: We recruited 92 patients who underwent the extraction of impacted mandibular third molar. In this study, the Pederson index was used to preoperatively determine the difficulty of surgical extraction. Patients were asked to note the number of analgesics used for 7 postoperative days. Patients were divided into two groups based on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale: low and high score groups. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-trait and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-state questionnaires were used to determine the anxiety levels of the patients. The obtained data were examined to evaluate the correlations of pain catastrophizing and anxiety with the postoperative analgesic use. Results: In this study, 92 patients, including 60 women and 32 men, were recruited. The analgesic use was higher in women than in men but with no significant difference (P > 0.05). Pain Catastrophizing Scale scores were higher in women than in men but with no significant difference (P > 0.05). The analgesic use was higher in patients with high pain catastrophizing than in those with low pain catastrophizing but with no significant difference (P > 0.05). State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-trait scores were higher in women than in men but with no significant difference. However, state-Trait Anxiety Inventory-state scores were significantly higher in women than in men (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The postoperative analgesic use may be higher in patients who catastrophize pain than in others. Knowing the patient's catastrophic characteristics preoperatively would contribute to successful pain management and appropriate drug selection.

Evaluation of Pain and Anxiety Levels of Tooth Extraction

“…The results of the present study showed that postoperative analgesic use may be higher in patients with high PCS-T scores. The data in the present study are in agreement with the data in Altan et al 16 study. When the groups were examined, it was observed that PCS-T values were significantly higher in those who drank more than one painkiller per day.…”

“…Although it was not statistically significant according to the results of the study, it was observed that the use of analgesics was statistically higher in patients with higher PCS-T scores. They concluded that the preoperative anxiety level was significantly higher in female patients compared to male patients 16 . The results of the present study showed that postoperative analgesic use may be higher in patients with high PCS-T scores.…”

“…In the present study, PCS-T scores were observed to be lower in patients with high oral hygiene who had regular tooth brushing habits, and conversely, PCS-T scores were observed to be lower in patients with poor oral hygiene, although it was not statistically significant. Altan et al 16 investigated the effect of preoperative PCS-T score on postoperative analgesic use using the pain disaster scale. Although it was not statistically significant according to the results of the study, it was observed that the use of analgesics was statistically higher in patients with higher PCS-T scores.…”

Emotional effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on oral surgery procedures: a social media analysis

“…In their study on Twitter, Johnsen et al [ 12 ] reported that more negative words were used in the tweets about dentists than medical doctors and that the words related to pain were used at higher rates. Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience, and it has different personal effects on different people [ 13 14 ]. Gao et al [ 15 ] reported that aversive dental treatment, indirect learning through parents and peers, and exposure to negative information affected dental anxiety and fear.…”

Piezo-surgery technique and intramuscular dexamethasone injection to reduce postoperative pain after impacted mandibular third molar surgery: a randomized clinical trial

“…The medical history was checked for any previously unnoticed systemic problems. The difficulty score of the surgery was assessed according to Pederson's score on a panoramic X-Ray [ 31 ], and the maximum mouth opening (mm), was measured by the operator with a Vernier Caliper as the distance between the upper and lower incisors. All the patients were asked to do a Chlorhexidine 0.12% mouthwash 15 min before the operation [ 32 , 33 ], and 40 patients (group two & four) received 2 ml of Dexamethasone Sodium phosphate 4 mg/1 ml (Dexamethasone Medis®) via IM route (Deltoid muscle site) half an hour before surgery.…”