title: The use of a respiratory rate biofeedback device to reduce dental anxiety: an exploratory investigation.
abstract: Anxiety experienced by individuals visiting the dental office to receive treatment is common. Evidence has shown biofeedback to be a useful modality of treatment for numerous maladies associated with anxiety. The purpose of the current pilot study was to investigate the use of a novel biofeedback device (RESPeRATE™) to reduce patients' pre-operative general anxiety levels and consequently reduce the pain associated with dental injections. Eighty-one subjects participated in this study, forty in the experimental group and forty-one in the control group. Subjects in the experimental group used the biofeedback technique, while those in the control group were not exposed to any biofeedback. All subjects filled out a pre-injection anxiety survey, then received an inferior alveolar injection of local anesthetic. Post-injection, both groups were given an anxiety survey and asked to respond to four questions regarding the injection experience using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). With the use of the respiratory rate biofeedback device, there was a significant reduction of negative feelings regarding the overall injection experience, as measured by a VAS. Our findings demonstrate that this novel biofeedback technique may be helpful in the amelioration of dental anxiety, and may help produce a more pleasant overall experience for the patient.
authors.affiliation: Private Practice Limited to Periodontics, Cedar Rapids, IA, USA.
authors.forename: Quinn A
authors.initials: QA
authors.lastname: Morarend
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Spector
authors.forename: Deborah V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Holmes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology / Q000379:methods*; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D056152:Respiratory Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome