Anxiety and Panic Attacks in the Dental Office

Abstract

The patient's anxiety about the dental act is recognized and studied a lot lately. Manifestations of patient anxiety can take different forms, ranging from simple agitation, sometimes accompanied by physiological manifestations to extreme forms of lipothymia or even myocardial infarction. Panic attacks can occur as well, as one of the manifestations of anxiety. The problem that occurs in the dentist's office is the correct and rapid diagnosis of panic attack and establishing a differentiated diagnosis with other conditions that can endanger the patient's life, such as heart attack. Also, the dentist must prevent, know and apply the treatment immediately in case of a panic attack. For these reasons we consider of the utmost importance the approach of this subject in this paper.