Coping with stress in orthodontic

In today’s societies coping with stress in orthodontic has significant importance. Nowadays, many people need orthodontic treatment. But they delay their treatment process because of associated stress and anxiety with orthodontic.

The severity of malocclusion is vary depending on possible damages that may occurred for each person.

The possible stress factors before and after children’s orthodontic may include:

  • Social stress
  • Fear of rejection by friends
  • Conflicts with adult children

Physical abnormality especially facial abnormalities can lead to many social and mental implications. These implications mostly can be a main source for stress in patients and their families.

Why anxiety?

Anxiety is a natural reaction to the stressful situations. Although anxiety disorders are categorized in different type.

It’s better to keep in mind that different anxiety disorders may have common specific features that can be control by medical and behavior management.

Anxiety disorders can manifest in a range of minor to sever symptoms that begin from a normal condition and lead to an abnormality.

When was the last time that you visited a dentist?

Some researchers have gathered the response to this questions from a clinic’s patients as bellow:

  • I was completely calm during the treatment process (calmness)
  • I was nervous but tried to be calm during the treatment process (minor stress).
  • I was nervous but treatment is done (medium stress)
  • I was really horrified (major stress). A) The treatment process was difficult. B) The treatment process was not successful. C) The treatment process is not done.

Medical management

Tranquilizers drugs are an effective way to cope with stress that can make an easier treatment process. Based on the stress and anxiety levels in patients, the minimum and medium value of sedatives are provided.

After using tranquilizers, the patient’s stress and anxiety could be under the control.

You can use of a weak sedative such as Benzodiazepines to cope with minor stress. Doctor can provide a sedative drug for patient to cope with their stress during the orthodontic process.

Stress during the orthodontic brackets arrangement

The patients’ appointment with specialist orthodontist in order to arrange orthodontic brackets is a stressful condition. In this situation the patient tries to cope with his stress signs.

In order to cop and control stress in orthodontic, an extended spectrum of defense mechanism for stress should be active. This mechanism can be active in any conflict condition between body and surrounding in order to stress management and release the severity of tension like stress in orthodontic. Whenever patient apply for orthodontic arrangement this mechanism will be active in order to prevent, change or destroy the possible and unforeseen negative effects. Sometimes this mechanism can be active for decreseing difficulties and patient’s adaptation with his current situation.

Coping with stress in orthodontic by physical activity

Since the immune system is responsible for coping with stress in orthodontic, so it’s better the patient’s ability for controlling and releasing the tension be increased in order to prevent the possible bad side effects.

Coping with stress in orthodontic in order to release the anxiety include:

  • Exercise and physical activities
  • Psychotherapy
  • Biologic responses modifiers
  • Parent’s conversation with children in order to flow positive energy
  • Choose desirable orthodontist

Request for having orthodontic treatment

If a teenager needs to orthodontic treatment and choose this method by himself, so the patient’s cooperation and adjustment with treatment procedures is more convenience.

Mostly, request for having orthodontic is affected by different factors such as social, economic, ethnical, cultural and even individual definition of beauty.

In this condition, patient will do every necessary effort for treating the malocclusion. It is very helpful for accepting the treatment procedure by patient as well as increasing the level of self-confidence. It is the best way to cope with stress in orthodontic.

Another way to cope stress in orthodontic

One appropriate and applicable way to cope with stress in orthodontic is making relationship with other peoples who have done this treatment. They can tell you to what extent is easy to observe oral hygiene after orthodontic.

Conclusion

According to researcher’s finding in this domain, the level of patient’s stress and anxiety should be decrease from the beginning of the treatment process. It’s important that nervous patients to be screen in order to avoid of offering irritable substance or at least the necessary cautions should be applied for them.

Applying different behavioral techniques in office such as friendly and gently manner as well as sympathy with patients are very helpful to prevent patient’s stress.

This method is effective for treatment progress in difficult levels, especially for children.

Finally, it’s good to be remind that orthodontist should apply special strategies based on the patient’s needs.