Dental medicine
Hypnosis Applied to Dental Practice: A review Abstract
Emna Hidoussi Sakly, University Of Monastir, Faculty of Dental medicine, Research Laboratory of Oral Health and Rehabilitation, LR12ES11, Monastir, 5000, Tunisia
Wiem Ben Amor Jemmali, University Of Monastir, Faculty of Dental medicine, Research Laboratory of Oral Health and Rehabilitation, LR12ES11, Monastir, 5000, Tunisia
Neila Zokkar Benzarti, University Of Monastir, Faculty of Dental medicine, Research Laboratory of Oral Health and Rehabilitation, LR12ES11, Monastir, 5000, Tunisia
Modern technological advances in dental professions have managed to solve problems that have existed for centuries. Yet, there is a variety of psychological and psychosomatic disorders that still challenge us because of our inefficacy to cure patients exhibiting symptoms of these disorders. Although pain management field has seen significant advance, many people nowadays keep avoiding seeing a dentist out of fear or anxiety. Clinical hypnosis
seems to bring advantages to dentistry for it helps neutralize indefensible nervousness and phobia in patients. Dentists who make use of hypnosis are more able to relieve their anxious patients’ pain and fear. This article provides an insight into the advantages of hypnosis as a therapy, and explores its applications in dentistry. Keywords:
hypnosis,
dentistry,
clinical
application
Introduction Hypnosis is stereotypically thought of as a method of manipulation and that’s because of the myths that built misconceptions and erroneous mental representations around it 1. In fact, the main aim of hypnotherapy is not to manipulate the patient, but to give them the tools they require to take back control of their behaviors, feelings and emotions. “Hypnosis” is originally a Greek word that means “sleep”. It represents a naturally modified conscious state. The individual gets into a hypnotic state called trance, which is not artificially induced and is different from the usual awareness state 2. The observation of neurophysiological changes assert this altered consciousness, which differentiates it from states of meditation or relaxation. Although in a hypnotic state the subject is highly attentive to suggestion, they maintain concentration and keep the potential to make their own decisions at any time.
Faten Ben Abdallah Ben Amor, University Of Monastir, Faculty of Dental medicine, Research Laboratory of Oral Health and Rehabilitation, LR12ES11, Monastir, 5000, Tunisia faten.benamor@yahoo.fr
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Dental News
Dentists who use hypnosis regularly in their clinical practices appreciate a variety of significant advantages. There are many and varied applications of clinical hypnosis in dental clinical practice. Dental applications of hypnosis include relaxation, relief from fears and anxieties, reduction in both the perception and severity of pain during procedures, control of bleeding and salivation (both for increasing and decreasing flow, as needed), control of bruxism (tooth grinding), finger-sucking, and other habits, and promotion of behavioral modifications associated with optimization of oral health 3, 4. September 2020
