Observational studyScientific reports2026
Parental expectations and nocebo by proxy effects in adolescent orthodontic treatment outcomes.
Observational study in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- The physiology of survival: From the third man to placebo escape hatch?Experimental physiology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
This study examines the nocebo effect in orthodontics by assessing how parental orthodontic experiences and attitudes toward dental care influence children's pain and discomfort at treatment onset. Consecutive orthodontic patients aged 12-18 years were included in this prospective observational cohort study. Parents' prior orthodontic experiences, perceptions of dental care, and pain expectations were assessed by questionnaire. Children completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) before fixed appliance bonding. Follow-up questionnaires 3-5 days post-bonding assessed pain, dysfunction, medication use, and oral health impact (OHIP-14). Non-parametric tests and regression analyses were used to assess associations between parental expectations and patient-reported outcomes. Seventy patients (mean age 14.1 ± 1.7 years; 51.3% females) were included. Greater pain medication use was reported among patients whose parents had prior orthodontic experience (p = 0.038). Parental associations of orthodontic care with pain were linked to higher patient anxiety and pain catastrophizing. Regression analyses confirmed associations between parental expectations and patient orofacial dysfunction, anxiety, pain catastrophizing, and oral health impact. The study indicates a proxy nocebo effect in orthodontics, where parental experiences and perceptions influence children's pain during treatment. Addressing parental perceptions may help reduce this effect and improve treatment experiences for children and adolescents.
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