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VOLUME 10 , ISSUE 5 ( September, 2009 ) > List of Articles

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Dental Treatment Duration as an Indicator of the Behavior of 3- to 9- Year-old Pediatric Patients in Clinical Dental Settings

Naser Asl Aminabadi, Sina Ghertasi Oskouei, Ramin Mostofi Zadeh Farahani

Citation Information : Aminabadi NA, Oskouei SG, Farahani RM. Dental Treatment Duration as an Indicator of the Behavior of 3- to 9- Year-old Pediatric Patients in Clinical Dental Settings. J Contemp Dent Pract 2009; 10 (5):23-32.

DOI: 10.5005/jcdp-10-5-23

License: CC BY-NC 3.0

Published Online: 01-02-2014

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2009; The Author(s).


Abstract

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the age-specific effect of treatment duration on pediatric patient behavior.

Methods and Materials

A total of 450 children 3 to 9 years of age were allocated into six consecutive age groups (n=75 for each group). All children received dental treatment procedures which included the fabrication of a Type 1 composite resin restoration, then a dental prophylaxis followed by fluoride therapy with each procedure requiring an average of 20 minutes. The children's behavior was evaluated at the end of each treatment period using the sound, eye, and motor (SEM) scale.

Results

The results of a mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated a significant main effect of treatment duration, F (1.69, 255.01) = 188.29, P < 0.001, and of chronological age, F (1, 144) = 115.82, P < 0.001. Moreover, the main effects of time and chronological age was qualified by a significant interaction between time and chronological age, F (8.86, 255.01) = 115.82, P < 0.001. The beta weights (0.64 for age versus 0.44 for time) suggest chronological age contributes the most to predicting the behavior of children during dental treatment followed by the duration of treatment.

Conclusion

Treatment duration may affect the behavior of pediatric patients parallel with chronological age and, thus, should be considered in the arrangement of the treatment plan.

Clinical Significance

The findings of this study suggest appropriate pediatric behavior management should include thoughtful scheduling of appointments according to a treatment plan formulated with consideration of the effects of age and appointment length.

Citation

Aminabadi NA, Oskouei SG, Farahani RMZ. Dental Treatment Duration as an Indicator of the Behavior of 3- to 9-Year-old Pediatric Patients in Clinical Dental Settings. J Contemp Dent Pract [Internet]. 2009 Sept; 10(5). Available from: http://www.thejcdp.com/journal/view/dentaltreatment- duration-as-an-indicator-of-thebehaviorof- 3-to-9-year-ol.


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