Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the dental anxiety expressed by patients undergoing endodontic treatment with respect to some social and dental parameters.
Materials and methods: A questionnaire comprising of 25 questions was given to 1,000 patients, 500 males and 500 females, in order to assess their fear of different phases of endodontic therapy. Questions were asked before, during, and after completion of root canal treatment.
Results: It was observed that females reported greater anxiety concerning root canal therapy than males. Older subjects reported less anxiety than younger subjects. Local anesthetic injection was ranked as the most unpleasant or anxiety-arousing aspect of root canal therapy.
Conclusion: High-anxiety subjects reported feeling more apprehension upon hearing or reading stories concerning root canal treatment than low-anxiety subjects. Nearly everyone indicated that they would agree to future root canal therapy to save a tooth.