Children are very stressed by anesthetics injected into the mouth before tooth extraction, in connection with orthodontic treatment. In a study from the University of Gothenburg, a technique was tested to monitor stress levels in 14-16-year-olds during dental treatment. The results of the pilot study are presented during the ongoing congress of the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (EAPD) in Gothenburg.
The purpose of the study is well aligned with the focus of the gathered expertise in the field: treating children with sensitivity. The study was led by Larisa Krekmanova, a researcher in pediatric dentistry, pedodontics, at Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg and a pedadontist within Region Västra Götaland's public dental service. "Child and adolescent patients aren't always able or confident enough to convey negative experiences during dental treatment.
Parallel to this, we know that a significant number of them find dental exams and invasive treatment stressful, whether this is due to fear or pain," she notes. We want to uncover this silent stress, a type of stress that's difficult to detect and can remain hidden. This research aims is to increase practitioners' sensitivity and raise patient voices.
" Larisa Krekmanova, researcher in pediatric dentistry, pedodontics, at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg The study included 34 patients, aged 14-16 years, who were to undergo either a regular dental exam (20 patients) or invasive treatment (.
