Pain, sensory acceptability, and treatment compliance following cryotherapy and topical anesthetics in children: A randomized clinical trial
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: This randomized clinical trial aimed to compare the effects of cryotherapy, anesthetic spray, and gel on pain, anxiety, physiological responses, taste acceptability, and treatment compliance in children aged 7-10 years undergoing their first dental treatment. 100 healthy children were randomly allocated into four groups: 10% lidocaine spray, 20% benzocaine gel, cryotherapy with distilled water cooled to +4 °C, and lidocaine spray cooled to +4 °C. Following topical application, buccal infiltration anesthesia was administered. Anxiety, pain, and physiological responses were assessed using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale and Facial Image Scale, Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale, and pulse-oximeter. Taste acceptability and treatment compliance were evaluated using a three-point Hedonic Scale and the FRANKL Scale. Repeated Measures ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied. No significant differences were observed among the groups in anxiety, pain, pulse rate, oxygen saturation, or taste acceptability (p > 0.05). Pulse rate increased from the pre-operative to the post-operative period in all groups (p = 0.006), with no significant group × time interaction. FRANKL scores were significantly higher in the cryotherapy-distilled water group compared with the gel and cooled-spray groups (p = 0.001), a finding considered exploratory. Pain and anxiety outcomes following cryotherapy did not differ significantly from those of the topical anesthetic agents, while treatment compliance was higher, suggesting that cryotherapy may be a promising non-pharmacological option, pending confirmation in non-inferiority trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07198022.
Source: PLoS ONE
Authors: Emine Zehra Aydın Çetin, Bilal Özmen
Institution: Ondokuz Mayıs University
Language: English
Subfield: Oral Surgery
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,382
OpenAlex ID: W7225167072