Evaluation of pain, disruptive behaviour and anxiety in children aging 5-8 years old undergoing different modalities of local anaesthetic injection for dental treatment: a randomised clinical trial

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the influence of different local anaesthetic techniques in pain, disruptive behaviour and anxiety in children´s dental treatment.

Material and methods: This was a randomised and parallel clinical trial. The sample consisted of 105 children (5–8 years old) that were divided into three groups (n = 35) according to the anaesthetic technique: conventional anaesthesia (CA); vibrational anaesthesia (VBA); computer-controlled local anaesthesia delivery (CCLAD). The outcomes were self-perception of pain (Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale – WBF; Numerical Rating Scale – NRS); disruptive behaviour (Face, Legg, Activity, Cry, Consolability Scale – FLACC); anxiety (Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale; modified Venham Picture test – VPTm) and physiological parameters (blood pressure – systolic – SBP and diastolic – DBP; heart rate – HR; oxygen saturation – SpO2; respiratory rate – RR). Data were statistically analysed with Kruskall-Wallis test and ANOVA for repeated measures with Tukey post hoc test (α = 0.05).

Results: All the patients exhibited the same level of dental anxiety at baseline (Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale). There was no difference in self-perception pain, irrespective the evaluation tool used (WBF – p = .864; VAS – p = .761). No differences were detected in disruptive behaviour (FLACC – p = .318); anxiety (VPTm – p = .274); blood pressure (SBP – p = .239; DBP – p = .512); heart rate (p = .728); oxygen saturation (p = .348) and respiratory rate (p = .238) between anaesthetic techniques.

Conclusion: Different anaesthetic dental local techniques do not affect the levels of pain, disruptive behaviour, anxiety and physiological parameters in children aged 5–8 years old.