?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Posttraumatic+Dental-Care+Anxiety%3A+Is+%22dental+phobia%22+a+misnomer%3F&rft.creator=Bracha%2C+MD+Stefan&rft.creator=Vega%2C+PHD+Edward&rft.creator=Vega%2C+Carrie&rft.subject=Clinical+Psychology&rft.description=ABSTRACT%3A++%0A%09In+this+article%2C+we+suggest+that+the+term+%E2%80%9Cdental+phobia%2C%E2%80%9D+as+commonly+applied+to+the+experience+of+dental+fear+and+anxiety%2C+is+typically+a+misnomer.++The+problem+with+using+the+term+%E2%80%9Cphobia%E2%80%9D+in+a+dental-care+context+is+as+follows%3A++by+definition%2C+phobias+involve+a+fear+that+is+%E2%80%9Cexcessive+or+unreasonable%2C%E2%80%9D+which+the+individual+recognizes+as+such%2C+and+in+which+the+anxiety%2C+panic+attacks+and+phobic+avoidance+are+not+better+accounted+for+by+another+disorder%2C+including+posttraumatic+stress+disorder+(PTSD).++In+our+experience%2C+most+individuals+who+experience+dental+anxiety+or+fear+do+not+view+their+symptoms+as+%E2%80%9Cexcessive+or+unreasonable%E2%80%9D+and+in+that+sense%2C+resemble+individuals+with+PTSD.++Further%2C+our+review+of+the+dental-care+literature+suggests+that+true+(innate)+dental+phobias+(akin+to+unreasonable+fear+at+the+sight+of+blood+or+a+syringe)+probably+account+for+a+smaller+percentage+of+cases%2C+and+that+a+larger+subset+of+dental-care+anxiety+(DA)+cases+stem+from+dental+experiences+that+are%2C+at+a+minimum%2C+aversive+and%2For+painful%2C+and+at+times+highly+traumatizing.++Research+has+documented+that+individuals+who+reported+having+experienced+painful+dental+treatments+and+perceived+a+lack+of+control+in+the+dental+situation+were+approximately+14+times+more+likely+to+also+report+higher+dental+fear%2C+and+approximately+16+times+more+likely+to+report+being+less+willing+to+return+to+the+dental+treatment.++Based+on+the+current+available+research%2C+we+propose+that+this+psychological+condition+should+be+conceptualized+as+Posttraumatic+Dental-care+Anxiety+(PTDA)%2C+and+should+be+classified+as+part+of+the+Posttraumatic+Stress+Disorder+(PTSD)+spectrum+in+the+forthcoming+Diagnostic+and+Statistical+Manual+of+Mental+Disorders%2C+fifth+edition+(DSM-V).+%0A&rft.date=2006-10&rft.type=Journal+(Paginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F5248%2F1%2F2006_HDJ_bracha_vega_posttraumatic_dental_anxiety.PDF&rft.identifier=++Bracha%2C+MD+Stefan+and+Vega%2C+PHD+Edward+and+Vega%2C+Carrie++(2006)+Posttraumatic+Dental-Care+Anxiety%3A+Is+%22dental+phobia%22+a+misnomer%3F++%5BJournal+(Paginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F5248%2F