O uso da Hipnose na Odontologia

Abstract

Hypnosis, a practice used since antiquity, became established as a recognized therapeutic approach in medicine and dentistry from the 19th century onward. Currently, it is regulated in Brazil as an Integrative and Complementary Practice and has been recognized by the Federal Council of Dentistry since 2008. It is a technique that induces a state of focused attention, making the patient more susceptible to suggestions and promoting cognitive, emotional, and physiological changes that contribute to the management of anxiety and pain—experiences commonly associated with dental treatment. This study aims to review the scientific literature regarding the use, applications, and indications of hypnosis in the context of dentistry. To this, a detailed search was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, and SciELO databases, as well as in the grey literature. After the screening process and exclusion of articles that did not meet the eligibility criteria, 30 articles were included in this integrative review. The studies show that hypnosis can be applied in different areas of dentistry, with particular emphasis on anxious and phobic patients, analgesia, surgical procedures, and pediatric dentistry, with major advantages being its safety, absence of side effects, and good patient acceptance. It is concluded that, despite the small number of dentists trained in this technique, hypnosis represents an effective tool capable of complementing dental practice and promoting a more humanized approach to care.