AOS (WA) DINNER LECTURE
AOS WA IS PROUD TO PRESENT
Nocebodontics and Predict Prevent and Manage Post-Implant PainSynopsis:
So, you’ve placed the perfect implant… and now your patient is in pain and blaming you for ruining their life (and their trip to Bali to restore it). This lecture dives into the not-so-glamorous but absolutely crucial world of predicting and preventing nerve injuries and post-operative pain after implant placement. We’ll explore the usual suspects—patient quirks, surgical misadventures, and implant oddities—that can turn a routine case into a post-operative nightmare. You’ll learn how to spot red flags before the scalpel hits the gingiva, plan like a clairvoyant, and avoid nerve-related horror stories and pain that only a “soccer player” can relate to. Walk away armed with evidence-based tactics to keep your patients comfortable, your inbox complaint-free, and your 5-star Google Reviews intact.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this evening, attendees will be able to:
- Recognise the key patient, surgical, and implant-related risk factors associated with post-implant pain.
- Apply evidence-based protocols to predict, prevent, identify and manage post-implant therapy pain.
- Design a treatment plan for patients experiencing post-operative pain and/or implant-related neuropathy.
Ever said, “This might sting a bit,” and watched your patient tense like you’d threatened their firstborn? Welcome to Nocebodontics—the notso-magical art of unintentionally turning reassurance into suffering for dental care. This presentation dives deep into the dark side of suggestion, where your well-meaning warnings, arse covering consent forms, and unfortunate resting face activate your patient’s pain matrix before you touch enamel. You’ll uncover how the nocebo effect—the sinister twin of placebo—can amplify anxiety, worsen outcomes, and make you question why your indemnity premium keeps rising. We’ll unpack the psychoneurobiological mechanics that turn thoughts into pain, look at clinical scenarios where nocebo has sabotaged success (looking at you, wisdom teeth pamphlets), and explore what you can do to reverse the curse using evidence-based Jedi mind tricks.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:
- Define the nocebo effect and distinguish it from placebo, including its origins, key characteristics, and relevance to modern dental practice.
- Describe the psychoneurobiological basis of the nocebo response, including the role of patient expectation, anxiety, and clinician communication in activating pain and stress pathways.
- Identify and mitigate the practical impact of nocebo in dentistry, using strategies to reduce negative suggestion, reframe risk communication, and improve patient outcomes.
A/Prof Ramesh Balasubramanium OAM
BSc, BDSc (UWA), MS, Cert Orofacial Pain (UKy), Cert Oral Medicine (UPenn), MRACDS (OralMed), ABOP, FDS RCPS(Glasg), FDS RCSEd, FOMAA, FADI, FPFA, FICD Oral Medicine Specialist
Ramesh Balasubramaniam is an Oral Medicine Specialist with expertise in temporomandibular disorders, orofacial pain and dental sleep medicine. He has numerous peer reviewed publications, co-authored several chapters, and coedited and co-authored three books notably “Contemporary Oral Medicine”. In addition, he serves as a reviewer for several peer-reviewed journals. Ramesh is associate professor and discipline lead in Oral Medicine at the University of Western Australia, Dental School and is actively involved in teaching and research. He has lectured extensively both nationally and internationally. For his ongoing contributions to dentistry, he has received fellowships and awards, most notably the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2021. Ramesh was president of the Oral Medicine Academy of Australasia (2019-2022). He also has public appointments at the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia and the Perth Children’s Hospital.
