A literature review by a Canadian team had found hypnosis could play a significant role in at least three areas of dental care: managing acute pain during dental procedures, reducing the anxiety associated with visiting the dentist, and alleviating chronic orofacial pain.
In the review—published in the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis—the researchers at the Université de Montréal presented evidence that hypnosis could and should be a useful complementary tool for oral health professionals.
They surveyed 12 systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 2000 and 2024. Most of the studies were from Germany, where hypnosis is already incorporated into some medical practices.
It’s in managing acute pain during dental procedures, such as tooth extractions or cavity repairs under local anaesthesia, that hypnosis seems to hold the most promise.
Hypnosis was also found to be useful for pain relief during root canal procedures, with one study reporting that 45.2 per cent of patients who received focused hypnotic analgesia felt no pain during pulpal stimulation. Among patients who underwent standard hypnotic induction, 16.1 per cent experienced no pain.
Hypnosis also appears to be an effective tool for alleviating dental anxiety. Studies show that it reduces anxiety before and during treatment, often outperforming methods such as audiovisual distraction. In children, hypnosis not only decreases crying and verbal resistance, but also helps stabilise heart rate.
However, the researchers stressed that hypnosis alone cannot provide sufficient analgesia in all cases.
“Not enough people respond fully to hypnosis and are able to achieve complete analgesia,” Angélique Thibault said.
“Therefore, hypnosis should be seen as a complement to traditional techniques, one that can improve the patient’s experience and quality of care.”
