Abstract

The aim of the present study, performed during periodontal recall visits, was to compare the levels of pain experienced by patients during periodontal probing using probes with tip diameters of either 0.40 mm or 0.63 mm.

Prior to the maintenance procedures, three groups of 20 adult patients were examined by 3 different therapists. Diagonal maxillary/mandibular quadrants were probed with a 0.40 mm and a 0.63 mm probe, respectively. At the completion of probing of each quadrant, the patients were asked to describe their pain using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

The results were as follows: Most patients showed low VAS pain scores for both probes. However, using an arbitrary threshold of VAS ≥ 40 mm to indicate a significant pain, some patients had a painful experience. Lower median pain responses following probing with the 0.63 mm probe compared to the 0.40 mm probe were observed for patients of therapist 1, and for the quartile of all 60 patients that showed the highest VAS scores. For therapist 2 and 3 groups, no differences were found. The pain levels expressed by the three groups of patients varied, confirming results of our previous studies, also observing differences in patients' pain experiences following probing by different therapists.

In conclusions, the ability to deliver dental care with a minimum of patient discomfort would seem to be an essential part of the skills of individual clinicians. We would like to suggest that dental therapists periodically evaluate this part of their skill by asking patients to express their pain experiences following various procedures using VAS scales.

LLU Discipline

Periodontics

Department

Periodontics

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Gary Bogle

Second Advisor

Max Crigger

Third Advisor

Jan Egelberg

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; 15

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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