'Hypnosis' originated from the Greek word 'hypnos' meaning sleep. Interestingly, it's implication as a sleep state is another major misconception. It is agreed that hypnosis is a modified state of consciousness that is neither wakefulness nor sleep but somewhere in between, with a high degree of susceptibility to outside influence.' 2 Hypnosis is characterised by an increased attention to suggestion; however,, the subject has profound concentration even in the deeper hypnotic states and is fully capable of making their own decisions at all times. The experience has been explained as an interaction between the hypnotist and their subject, in which the hypnotist uses suggested scenarios to encourage a shift in focus towards inner experiences to influence perception, feelings, thinking and behaviour. Hypnosis is now believed to be not something a hypnotist does to a subject but is used autonomously.4 In a hypnotic state, the conscious mind is suppressed and the subconscious is released, allowing involuntary and effortless responses. Abdeshahi et al suggest that hypnosis enhances control over stress, pain, muscle tension, perception, memories, emotions and feelings. Within dentistry, the term 'hypnosis' encompasses a wide variety of techniques, ranging from use of 'hypnotic language' to create a positive environment and distraction, to deep hypnotic trances to achieve more profound results, such as surgical analgesia.
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