Journal article
The Use of a Respiratory Rate Biofeedback Device to Reduce Dental Anxiety: An Exploratory Investigation
Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback, Vol.36(2), pp.63-70
06/2011
DOI: 10.1007/s10484-011-9148-z
PMID: 21365307
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.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The Use of a Respiratory Rate Biofeedback Device to Reduce Dental Anxiety: An Exploratory Investigation
- Creators
- Quinn Morarend - Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry The University of Iowa Iowa City IA USAMichael Spector - Department of Family Dentistry, College of Dentistry The University of Iowa 313 Dental Science Building South Iowa City IA 52242-1001 USADeborah Dawson - Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry and Dows Institute for Dental Research, College of Dentistry The University of Iowa Iowa City IA USASteven Clark - Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry The University of Iowa Iowa City IA USADavid Holmes - Department of Family Dentistry, College of Dentistry The University of Iowa 313 Dental Science Building South Iowa City IA 52242-1001 USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback, Vol.36(2), pp.63-70
- Publisher
- Springer US; Boston
- DOI
- 10.1007/s10484-011-9148-z
- PMID
- 21365307
- ISSN
- 1090-0586
- eISSN
- 1573-3270
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/2011
- Academic Unit
- Biostatistics; Pediatric Dentistry; Family Dentistry; Periodontics
- Record Identifier
- 9984065713802771
Metrics
31 Record Views