Fear reduction in patients with dental treatment phobia

In a clinical trial, we examined short- and medium-term reduction of dental fear in patients with dental phobia. Ninety-one patients selected one of t wo treatments or no intervention before oral surgery (control group). One g roup comprised a one-session psychological treatment and included 25 patien ts. The second group chose oral selected midazolam and included 30 patients . Thirty-six patients chose the control group. In total, 50 patients comple ted the study (10 controls, 20 in the midazolam group, and 20 in the treate d group). The degree of fear was assessed by the Corah Dental Anxiety Scale . Before the operation, both interventions caused the degree of fear to fall significantly compared with the control group. Two months later, the midazo lam group showed a return to baseline fear, whereas the psychologically tre ated group showed further improvement, Medium-term results after one year s howed that compliance and reduction of fear remained only in the psychologi cally treated group. (C) 2000 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofa cial Surgeons.