Pediatric dental treatment: manifestations of stress in patients, mothers and dental school students.

The aim of this study was to compare a group of children with high levels of anxiety during dental treatment who required physical restraint (group 1) to a group of children who collaborated with treatment (group 2). Child stress and its relationship with the manifestations of stress of the mothers and the dental students were assessed. The following psychological evaluation techniques were applied: the Child Stress Scale, the Rutter Parent Scale A2, Dental Fear Survey, and Lipp Stress Symptoms Inventory for Adults. Group 1 presented higher stress indicators, and emotional and behavior difficulties than group 2 (p < or = 0.01). The stress indicators and the dental fear presented by mothers from group 1 were higher than that from group 2 (p < or = 0.01). The dental students who treated the children from both groups presented high stress levels. We conclude that the difficulties experienced by the child and the mother, associated to the student's diminished ability to control the situation, may negatively influence the perception that the child has of dental treatment. A set of factors related to the children, mothers or dental students may cause poor collaboration during the dental treatment.