Anxiety sensitivity as predictor of pain in patients undergoing restorative dental procedures.
OBJECTIVE
The personality disposition to anxiety sensitivity refers to beliefs about negative consequences of bodily arousal. The concept has recently been successfully applied in research on chronic pain conditions. The present study investigated whether anxiety sensitivity interacts with dental fear to increase expected and experienced pain during routine dental treatment.


METHODS
Subjects were 97 patients undergoing dental procedures of excavation and filling. Anxiety dispositions were measured by the Anxiety Sensitivity Index and the Dental Anxiety Scale. Expected and experienced pain were assessed by affective and sensory verbal descriptor scales and a numerical rating scale measuring pain intensity.


RESULTS
Dentally fearful patients scoring high in anxiety sensitivity both expected and experienced more pain than low scorers did. Significant interactions were found predicting expected affective and intense pain and experienced pain intensity.


CONCLUSIONS
The results lend support to the assumption that dentally fearful patients with a disposition to high anxiety sensitivity amplify pain anticipations when exposed to the critical situation. When dentally fearful patients are under treatment, their beliefs about negative consequences of bodily arousal may negatively influence their evaluation of treatment related pain.
Klages
Ulrich
U
Department of Orthodontics, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany. klages@kieferortho.klinik.uni-mainz.de
Kianifard
Simin
S
Ulusoy
Ozlem
O
Wehrbein
Heinrich
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000523:psychology; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010551:Personality; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology