An association between preoperative dental anxiety and the time of mandibular third molar extraction

doi:10.12307/2026.415

Abstract

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing mandibular third molar extraction show significantly higher dental anxiety levels than those receiving other dental procedures. Preoperative anxiety not only prolongs operation time but also worsens postoperative complications.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between preoperative dental anxiety and the time of mandibular third molar extraction.
METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study was designed for the patient’s extraction of mandibular third molar in the outpatient clinic of Department of Stomatology of Aerospace Center Hospital. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale for Third Molar Surgery (MDAS-TMS) was used to evaluate the preoperative anxiety status. Demographic characteristics, surgical and radiographic features of the patients were recorded. The main outcome indicator was the duration of surgery. Multivariable linear regression models were developed to analyze their influences, and a restricted cubic spline function was used to evaluate their potential nonlinear associations.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of 216 patients (71 men and 145 women) were included in the study. The mean DAS-TMS score was 10.4, 32.4% were mildly anxious, and 8.8% were highly anxious. For each 1-unit increase in the DAS-TMS after multivariate adjustment, operative time increased by 1.1 minutes (β=1.10, P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval: 0.76-1.49). Evidence of a nonlinear association was observed (P=0.013 for nonlinearity). These findings indicate that preoperative dental anxiety has a significant effect on the time of mandibular third molar extraction procedure.

Key words: dental anxiety, third molars, extraction, Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, surgical time, non-linear, restricted cubic spline function, cross-sectional observational study

CLC Number:

Li Lei, Bai Xiaolong, Li Jiaye, Wang Weili. An association between preoperative dental anxiety and the time of mandibular third molar extraction[J]. Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research, 2026, 30(35): 9159-9164.

Figures/Tables 3

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