Is Digital Anesthesia a Viable Alternative for Pain and Anxiety Control in Pediatric Dentistry?
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: 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. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06992193.
DOI: 10.1111/ipd.70048
Authors: Alp Abidin Atesci, Buse Korkut Isik, Dilek Ozge Yılmaz, Berk Gergit, Munevver Çoruh Kılıc, Rustu Ozant Oncag
Language: English
Subfield: Oral Surgery
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4415542086