Effect of Hypnosis During Administration of Local Anesthesia in Six- to 16-year-old Children.
OBJECTIVE
Hypnosis is a tool that can help pediatric dentists allay fear or increase patient cooperation while administering local anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether hypnosis altered a patient's physical and/or verbal resistance and oxygen saturation or heart rate during administration of local anesthesia.


METHODS
Two hundred six- to 16-year-olds were randomly allocated to either a control group or an experimental group that received hypnotic induction prior to the delivery of local anesthesia. Subjects were monitored for signs of physical or verbal resistance and changes in pulse rate and oxygen saturation at baseline and upon administration of local anesthetic.


RESULTS
Children under hypnosis exhibited significantly less resistance to administration of local anesthesia (P<0.05). A bi-serial correlation for age and resistance showed a significant positive correlation (0.337) in the experimental group, indicating that resistance in children increases with age, but none was shown between gender and hypnotic suggestibility. There was a significant difference in pulse rate, attributable to the hypnotic condition (P=.000), but not in oxygen saturation level.


CONCLUSIONS
Using hypnosis may increase patient cooperation, decrease resistance during painful procedures, and lead to a lower heart rate.
Department of Pediatrics and Preventive Dentistry, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Jyoti
J
Oberoi
Department of Pediatrics and Preventive Dentistry, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Anup
A
Panda
Department of Pediatrics and Preventive Dentistry, ACPM Dental College and Hospital, Dhule, Maharashtra, India. itigarg84@gmail.com.
Iti
I
Garg
D000293:Adolescent; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives