THE IMPACT OF SURGICAL GRAPHIC AL IMAGES ON DENTAL ANXIETY LEVELS IN LOWER 3RD MOLAR IMPACTION PATIENTS -AN PILOT STUDY

Harini*, Israel Nathanael, Lokesh and Jedidiah Fredrick Abisheg

ABSTRACT

Aim: The aim of this study is to compare the dental anxiety level of patients ―Self exposed‖ to Graphical surgical
images/content pertaining to that of Surgical removal of lower 3rd molar and Non exposed individuals – Pilot study.
Objective: The objective of the study was to compare and investigate the dental anxiety level of patients, with a
history of ―Self Exposure― to graphical surgical images/contents pertaining to the surgical removal of lower 3rd
molar, to that of patients who have nil history of self-exposure to graphical surgical images/content, through ―
Standardized Modified dental anxiety scale‖. Methods: Study Design: A comparative study was conducted with
60 patients reporting to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Tagore Dental College and Hospital
for lower third molar impactions. Participants: Patients were divided into two groups: Group A (Exposed):
Patient who were self exposed to surgical and graphical images / content of mandibular third molar impaction
surgery video through social media platforms before the procedure. Group B (Non-Exposed): Patients who are not
exposed to surgical and graphical images / content of mandibular third molar impaction surgery video through
social media platforms before the procedure. Assessment Tool: The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS),
administered through structured interviews and questionnaires. Procedure: Pre-operative anxiety levels were
measured to determine any differences between the two groups. Results: The study revealed a statistically
significant difference in the anxiety levels between the two groups. Group A (Self Exposed) demonstrated lower
anxiety scores on the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale compared to Group B (Non-Exposed), indicating the
exposure to procedural content reduces pre-operative anxiety during surgical removal of 3rd molars. Conclusion:
The findings suggest that exposure to visual information regarding surgical procedures may help in reducing dental
anxiety, highlighting the potential benefits of incorporating visual aids into patient education and pre-operative
preparation strategies.

Keywords: Dental anxiety, graphical surgical images, lower third molar, Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, patient education, pre-operative preparation, pilot study.