Comparative Evaluation of Pain Related Behavior During Administration of Local Anesthesia Using the Conventional Syringe and the Computerized Controlled Local Anesthetic Device in Children Exhibiting Different Levels of Anxiety: In vivo Study

Background: Pain experienced during dental procedures evolves into negative attitude towards dentistry, which is projected as anxiety and fear of the child. Administration of local anesthesia (L.A) although an intervention to render painless procedures, in itself causes pain by its conveyance. Wand® (Milestone Scientific, Livingston, NJ, USA) is a system introduced to decrease soreness in the course of anesthetic conveyance. Owing to the sparse information comparing conventional systems with those of Wand, the present study evaluated pain related behavior in children exhibiting pre-assessed variant levels of anxiety midst administration of local anesthesia.

Aim: To correlate pain related behavior amidst delivery of local anesthesia using conventional syringe and the Wand® STA system in children exhibiting variant anxiety levels.

Methodology: The In vivo study embodied 32 children aged between 6 to 8 years. The volunteered participants were pre-categorized into low and high anxiety using the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale. They were further divided using the SNOSE technique – receiving L.A the conventional syringe (group A) and those receiving L.A using the C.C.L.A.D (group B). Pain reactions and perceptions to the two delivery methods were calculated using subjective scales and objective physiological parameters.

Results: Comparing pain perception in pre-assessed anxiety categories affirmed a remarkable difference with the use of C.C.L.A.D and appeared to bestow effortless, pain-free delivery over the traditional cartridge delivery.

Conclusion: C.C.L.A.D builds a refined acclivity for dispersal of the solution, ergo an utilitarian tool in pediatric dentistry.