Hypnoanalgesia in dentistry : a literature review

Abstract

The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate the efficacy of hypnosis as a pain relieving method during and after the dental procedure. References focusing on pain and that could include anxiety and physiological parameters as evaluation criteria were taken into consideration. From the 15 studies who met inclusion criteria it was found that, when used as an individual therapy, hypnosis lead to an increase in patient’s pain threshold. However, effectiveness was directly dependent on the degree of discomfort of the dental treatment performed, with low pain procedures having a higher success rate. When used as an adjunct to local anaesthesia, hypnosis reduces the amount of postoperative analgesic consumption, helps in patients´ general comfort, and decreases anxiety levels.