Abstract

The aims of the present study were to determine the level of pain experienced by patients from probing during periodontal examination, and to find out to what extent the examining periodontist and the dental assistant could estimate the degree of pain experienced by the patients.

For each of three periodontists, 20 patients referred for periodontal diagnosis and treatment were selected. The periodontist carried out his examination, which included probing at six sites per tooth. Following probing, the patients rated the pain using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The periodontist and the dental assistant who helped out during the examination independently rated the pain level they perceived that the patients experienced, also using a VAS.

Most patients showed low pain responses to probing. However, using an arbitrary threshold of VAS ≥40 mm to indicate significant pain, some patients had a painful experience. Differences were observed between the pain levels expressed by the three groups of patients. While two of the three periodontists were quite able to appraise the pain experienced by their patients, one of them was not. The dental assistants seemed to have more difficulty estimating the patients' pain levels.

It seems important that the periodontist at the first encounter with the patient is sensitive to the discomfort the examination may entail. This may influence the patients' decision to accept the required treatment, and may also affect the patients' attitude to and co-operation with the subsequent treatment.

LLU Discipline

Periodontics

Department

Periodontics

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Gary Bogle

Second Advisor

Jan Egelberg

Third Advisor

Eugene Rathbun

Fourth Advisor

Matt Riggs

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

2004

Date (Title Page)

6-2004

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Pain; Pain Measurement; Physical Examination

Type

Thesis

Page Count

ix; 17

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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