Behavioral management of fear and anxiety. Clinical case report

Abstract

Introduction: Anxiety and fear are factors that underlie uncooperative childhood behavior toward dental treatment. Fear is a disturbance that manifests itself in the face of present stimuli; anxiety is related to the anticipation of future dangers. The pediatric dentist must carry out a behavioral psychological assessment and diagnosis to choose the relevant strategies for managing emotions and guide them towards cooperative behavior. Clinical case: A 6-year-old female patient with a negative history in dental care and fear of anesthetic puncture, a behavioral psychological evaluation and diagnosis was performed considering temperament, cognitive development and observable motor behavior. It was concluded that this is a patient with a slow temperament, Frankl II, and Oucher 6. The techniques for her behavioral management were determined and for her to face the stressful situations of the consultation. The techniques used were based on classical, operant, cognitive-behavioral and social learning conditioning. Positive improvements were observed. Conclusions: The child's dental care is not based on a protocol. We agree with the Latin American Association of Pediatric Dentistry: A dentist who treats children must know a variety of behavioral adaptation techniques and must be able to accurately evaluate the child's level of development, temperament, and predict her reactions to the treatment.