Pre-surgery Psychological Characteristics, Pain Response, and Activities Impairment in Female Patients with Repeated Periodontal Surgery

This study assessed relationships between pre-surgery psychological characteristics and post-surgery pain response and impairment of life activities following each of two sessions of periodontal surgery. Forty-two female periodontal patients between the ages 26 and 67 participated. None had experienced previous peridontal surgery. Pre-surgery scores on dental anxiety, fatigue, and depression were positively associated with measures of post-surgery pain after the first surgery, and were negatively associated with positive well-being scores. A similar, though weaker pattern of associations was evident after the second surgery. Younger women reported significantly greater impairment of life activities during recovery than did the older women after both surgery episodes. The study points to the relevance of pre-surgery well-being and psychological stability as predictors of post-surgery pain and degree of impairment of life activities, as seen in the time sequence of repeated surgeries.