Changes in neurophysiologic parameters in a patient with dental anxiety by hypnosis during surgical treatment

American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, Oct 2006 by Wickramasekera, Ian II

Eitner, S., Schultze-Mosgau, S., Heckman, J., Wichmann, M., & Holst, S. (2006). Changes in neurophysiologic parameters in a patient with dental anxiety by hypnosis during surgical treatment. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 33(7), 496-500. This case study presents the case of a 54 year old female patient with dental procedural anxiety that was successfully treated with hypnosis.

The authors documented the psychophysiological changes that occurred in the patient's electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation of the blood, respiration rate, salivary cortisol concentration and body temperature as she responded well to a brief six session hypnotic protocol. The authors discuss the utility of using hypnosis in similar cases where a patient's procedural anxiety needs to be better managed. Address for reprints: Dr. S. Eitner, Department of Prosthodontics, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. Email address for reprints: seitner@prothetik-erlangen.de.