One-year follow-up of patients treated for dental fear: effects of cognitive therapy, applied relaxation, and nitrous oxide sedation

Abstract

The effects of dental fear treatments were assessed in a 1-year follow-up study. Sixty-two patients had finished a controlled study in which they were randomly allocated to nitrous oxide sedation (NO), cognitive therapy (CT), or applied relaxation (AR). During the trial highly significant reductions in dental fear and general distress were observed. One year later a majority (95%) of the participants had attended dental treatment in general practice. On the whole, continued favorable effects with regard to dental fear and general distress were observed. Patients in the applied relaxation group evidenced the largest reductions on the dental fear measures. All patients judged the dental fear treatment to have been beneficial, and 80% judged the treatment given in the year after the dental fear treatment successful. All three treatment groups scored in the normative range for general distress both at the end of treatment and at follow-up.