Dental Anxiety and Fear Assessment Quiz

Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS)

• Assesses anxiety levels about specific dental procedures
• Uses a 5-point Likert scale.
• Scores range from 1 (not anxious) to 5 (extremely anxious).
• Scores are interpreted based on sum score divided by 25.
• A score greater than 15 indicates dental anxiety, and greater than 19 indicates high dental anxiety.
• Any individual question with a score of 5 indicates anxiety.

Dental Fear and Avoidance Scale (DFAS)

• Assesses both fear and avoidance of dental treatment.
• Uses separate scales for both fear and avoidance.
• Scores range from 1 (no fear/avoidance) to 10 (extreme fear/avoidance).
• Scores are interpreted separately for fear and avoidance:
  • 1-4: no/low fear/avoidance
  • 5-7: moderate fear/avoidance
  • 8-10: extreme fear/avoidance

Dental Belief Survey (DBS)

• Assesses patient beliefs and attitudes towards dental care and providers.
• Considers 3 dimensions: professionalism, communication, and lack of control.
• The number of questions varies between 14 to 28.
• Scores range from 1 (never) to 5 (nearly always).
• Sum scores are interpreted based on a range of 24 (highly positive) to 120 (highly negative) beliefs.

Index of Dental Fear and Anxiety (IDFA)

• Assesses anxiety associated with specific dental stimuli and situations.
• Measures anxiety about procedures, emotions, and provider behavior.
• Uses a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very much).
• Higher scores indicate greater anxiety.

State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-State)

• Measures state anxiety as an emotional state.
• Assesses temporary feelings of tension, apprehension, and nervousness.
• Is used to assess the impact of situational factors on anxiety.

Attenuation

• Radiolucent areas appear darker on radiographic images as they are less dense and less mineralized.
• Radiopaque areas appear whiter on radiographic images because they are more dense and more mineralized.

Radiolucent Examples

• Air
• Depressions
• Foramina & canals
• Sutures
• Fossae
• Fissures
• Meati

Radiopaque Examples

• Spines
• Tubercles
• Tuberosities
• Prominences
• Septa
• Teeth
• Foreign body material

Intraoral Images

• Periapical Images capture a single tooth, showing the crown and root (anterior and posterior).
• Bitewing Images show the crowns of both upper and lower teeth, used to identify interproximal caries.
• Occlusal Images capture a full arch, showing the occlusal surfaces of the teeth (anterior and standard maxillary & mandibular occlusal).

Extraoral Images

• Panoramic images capture a wide view of both arches, showing the teeth, supporting structures, and surrounding anatomy.
• Focal trough is the curved area where the x-ray beam focuses, ensuring accurate image formation.

Teeth

• Crown is the visible part of the tooth above the gumline.
• Root is the portion of the tooth embedded in the bone.
• Enamel is the hard, outer layer of the crown, the most mineralized tissue in the body.
• Dentin is the layer beneath the enamel, a harder but less mineralized tissue.
• Pulp Chamber is the central part of the tooth containing the pulp, blood vessels, and nerves.
• Root Canal is the continuation of the pulp chamber in the root of the tooth.

Supporting Structures

• Trabecular/Cancellous bone is the spongy, porous bone found within the jawbone.
• Cortical bone is the dense, outer layer of bone surrounding the trabecular bone.
• Alveolar Crest is the highest point of the bone around the teeth, where the periodontal ligaments attach.
• Periodontal Ligament Space is the space between the tooth and the alveolar bone, containing the periodontal ligament fibers.
• Lamina Dura is the thin, dense layer of bone lining the tooth socket.
• Crestal Soft Tissues refer to the gingiva or gum tissue.

Trabecular Bone Variations

• Anterior Maxilla: Fine trabecular pattern with thin, numerous trabeculae and small, numerous marrow spaces.
• Posterior Maxilla: Fine trabecular pattern with thin, numerous trabeculae and numerous, larger marrow spaces compared to the anterior maxilla.
• Anterior Mandible: Coarser trabecular pattern with thicker, fewer, horizontal trabeculae than the maxilla and larger marrow spaces.
• Posterior Mandible: Horizontal trabeculae typically larger than in the anterior mandible, with larger marrow spaces, while fewer trabeculae are found inferior to the teeth.

Other Structures

• Restorative Materials include amalgam, composite, porcelain fused to metal, gutta-percha, and implants.
• Air appears radiolucent, allowing visualization of spaces and structures.

Attenuation Summary

• Most Radiopaque: Metal
• Radiopaque: Composite, Enamel, Bone
• Radiolucent: Soft tissues, Air
• Most Radiolucent: Air