title: Perception of Non-surgical Periodontal Treatment in Individuals Receiving or Not Receiving Local Anaesthesia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients might refuse the offer of local anaesthesia (LA) administration prior to dental treatment. This study investigates subjective discomfort perception during non-surgical mechanical periodontal therapy delivered with or without LA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients with mild to moderate chronic periodontitis and prior periodontal debridement experience were randomly enrolled in nonsurgical therapy of a quadrant with or without LA administration. Patients were free to comply or not with the allocated LA arrangement. Visual analogue scales (VAS) of discomfort perception at various stages of the treatment as well as overall satisfaction were recorded. Demographic, psychosocial and periodontal parameters were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one patients undergoing nonsurgical periodontal therapy not receiving (LA-) and 29 participants receiving LA (LA+) were studied. Compared to LA- patients, LA+ individuals perceived less discomfort during treatment and reported less dental anxiety (p<0.05). Lower overall treatment satisfaction was associated with prior unpleasant periodontal experience (p=0.047). Overall, debridement discomfort was associated with not receiving LA, noncompliance with the pain control regimen allocated, longer treatment duration, greater gingival inflammation and a higher percentage sites with probing pocket depths≥5 mm (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians should be aware that patients who refuse LA can experience higher dental anxiety and therefore may require various pain control strategies for comfort during nonsurgical periodontal therapy, which, if not employed, can lead to less periodontal treatment satisfaction.
authors.forename: W Keung
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Yi Ran
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Xiao Xiao
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Kim Wai Shadow
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Shuang Ying
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Esmonde F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Corbet
authors.forename: Huan Xin
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Meng
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002755:Choice Behavior; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000628:therapy*; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D057747:Periodontal Debridement / Q000523:psychology*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000145:classification; D011446:Prospective Studies