Resumen de Surgical Versus Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment: Psychosocial Factors and Treatment Outcomes

Hom-Lay Wang, Marita R. Inglehart, Paul W. Kloostra, Robert M. Eber

• Surgical Versus Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment: Psychosocial Factors and Treatment Outcomes Paul W. Kloostra,* Robert M. Eber,† Hom-Lay Wang,‡ and Marita R. Inglehart† *School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

  †Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan.

  ‡Graduate Periodontics, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan.

  Correspondence: Dr. Marita R. Inglehart, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078. Fax: 734/763-5503; e-mail: mri@umich.edu.

  Background: This research explored how patients with surgical versus non-surgical periodontal treatment differ in trait anxiety, depression, perceived stress, and well-being on the day of surgery and in their reported pain and use of pain medication 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. In addition, it was investigated how psychosocial factors affected reported pain, use of pain medication, and wound healing.

  Methods: Data were collected from 70 dental patients (34 males and 36 females; average age: 54.79 years; SD = 13.206) on the day of their periodontal treatment and 2 and 4 weeks after this treatment. The psychosocial factors (i.e., trait anxiety, depression, perceived stress, and well-being) were measured with standardized scales. The patients' providers assessed their wound healing 2 weeks after treatment.

  Results: On the day of treatment, non-surgical patients had higher anxiety, depression, and stress, and poorer well-being than surgical patients. However, surgical patients reported a higher level of pain during the second week, and greater consumption of analgesics during the second and fourth week. Anxiety, depression, stress, and well-being correlated with the reported level of pain, the use of pain medication, and wound healing after periodontal treatment.

  Conclusions: Psychosocial factors (i.e., anxiety, depression, stress, and well-being) can affect the patients' quality of life on the day of periodontal treatment and the pain experience and medications used after surgical and non-surgical periodontal therapy (4-week period). Patient-provider communication should address the role of these factors in the treatment process.

  KEYWORDS: Anxiety, depression, pain, stress, wound healing