Is Digital Anesthesia a Viable Alternative for Pain and Anxiety Control in Pediatric Dentistry?
Atesci, Alp Abidin, Korkut Isik, Buse, Yilmaz, Dilek Ozge, Gergit, Berk, Kilic, Munevver Coruh, Oncag, Rustu Ozant
Background: Pain and anxiety during dental procedures remain major challenges in pediatric dentistry, particularly during local anesthesia administration. Aim: This study compared the effectiveness of digital anesthesia systems versus conventional infiltration and mandibular block techniques in managing pain, anxiety, and behavioral responses in pediatric dental patients. Design: Seventy-nine children aged 6-12 were randomly assigned to receive anesthesia via digital anesthesia system (DAS), infiltration, or mandibular block. Pain was assessed using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFRPS), anxiety via the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDAS), and behavioral responses through the FLACC scale. Statistical analyses included ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and chi-square tests (p < 0.05). Results: Children in the DAS group reported significantly lower pain scores during needle insertion, anesthetic delivery, and treatment. Post-treatment MCDAS scores decreased significantly in the DAS group, especially for items related to "tooth examination," "filling," and "gingival injection." FLACC results also indicated more favorable behavioral responses-such as relaxed facial expressions and absence of crying-in the digital group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Digital anesthesia appears to be a highly effective alternative to conventional techniques for minimizing pain, reducing dental anxiety, and improving behavioral cooperation in pediatric patients, supporting its broader implementation in clinical practice.
- Journal
- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
- Year
- 2025
- ISSN
- 0960-7439
- eISSN
- 1365-263X
- DOI
- 10.1111/ipd.70048
- WoS UID
- WOS:001600917600001