Everyday- and dental-pain experiences in healthy Swedish 8-19 year olds: an epidemiological study.

BACKGROUND: Very little is known about children's everyday pains and dental treatment pains. A child's gender, age, and level of dental anxiety are factors that could interplay with the perception of pain and are thus worth studying. AIM: The objectives of this study were to investigate the frequency and reported intensity levels of children's everyday- and dental-pain experiences, and to study the reported pains in relation to gender, age, and dental anxiety. DESIGN: Three hundred and sixty-eight consecutive patients (8-19 years, mean age 13.5 years) from three different Public Dental Service were recruited. Pain ratings were obtained using McGrath's Children's Pain Inventory list and some additional items. Dental anxiety was estimated by the Dental Anxiety Scale. RESULTS: Most frequently experienced everyday pains were headache and tummy/stomach ache. Among dental treatment events, dental injection was reported to be most often ranked as painful, and more frequently by girls. Both dental and everyday pains were rated higher grouping children with high dental anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of pain experiences are the same in Swedish children as in other populations. There is a relation between dental anxiety and the perception of pain.

Prediction of prolonged pain experiences during orthodontic treatment.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we investigated prolonged pain reactions in teenage orthodontic patients during a common orthodontic treatment. The aim was to examine factors predicting pain at the end of a follow-up week after placement of elastic separators. METHODS: Fifty-five patients (ages, 12-18 years) were included. Baseline assessments were made of perceived intensity of general and dental pain experiences, motivation for treatment, dental anxiety, and personality factors (self-esteem and temperament). Pain intensity was assessed on a visual analog scale, and pain medications were recorded. The patients were separated into pain and no-pain groups according to pain experiences at day 7. RESULTS: The pain group (mainly girls) had significantly higher ratings of treatment pain than in the non-pain group at all times measured except for the treatment day. Bivariate and multiple logistic regressions showed significant predictive power from motivation, dental anxiety, activity temperament, and vaccination pain. CONCLUSIONS: In this adolescent patient sample, low motivation for orthodontic treatment, high ratings of vaccination pain, elevated dental anxiety level, and low activity temperament characterized patients reporting pain 1 week after the elastic separators were placed.

Experience of pain during an orthodontic procedure.

This study investigated pain experiences during a common orthodontic treatment. Fifty-five patients (12-18 yr) starting treatment due to crowding were included. Molar elastic separators were inserted bilaterally, and telephone interviews were made during evenings for a week. Pain intensity was assessed on a VAS scale, and pain medications were recorded. Forty-eight patients (87%) reported pain the first evening. The highest intensity of pain was reached the day after placement of separators (VAS mean = 43.7). At day 7, 42% of the patients still reported pain. Pain medication was used by 27% of the patients during the first 2 d, after which no patients used painkillers. While motivational factors and reasons for seeking treatment did not influence pain assessments, patients taking pain medication made significantly higher pain ratings during the days medication was used. Girls made significantly higher pain ratings during the later phase (day 3-7) of the follow-up week. Statistically significant relationships were found between 'late' VAS assessments and reported level of previous general pain experiences. The perceived pain from separators was comparable to previous general and dental pain experiences. It was concluded that pain is common after a simple procedure such as placement of molar separators. The experience of pain varied substantially among subjects. The intensity of pain was gradually reduced, but still more than 40% of the teenagers reported some pain after 1 week.