The Feasibility and Clinical Utility of the Use of Virtual Reality for the Management of Pediatric Dental Anxiety

Launched by MCGILL UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTRE/RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE MCGILL UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTRE · Apr 18, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how effective Virtual Reality (VR) can be in helping children feel less anxious and in less pain during dental visits. Many kids feel scared or uncomfortable when going to the dentist, and this study aims to see if using a VR headset as a distraction during procedures can make their experience better. There are two groups in the study: one group will receive standard dental care, while the other will use the VR headset during their treatment. Both groups will fill out questionnaires to share how they felt about their pain and anxiety before and after the dental work, and the dentists will also provide feedback on how the children behaved during their appointments.

To participate in this study, children must be between 6 and 12 years old and have a parent or guardian with them. They should be scheduled for specific dental procedures like fillings or tooth extractions and be able to understand English or French. However, children who have certain medical conditions, such as cognitive impairments or epilepsy, won't be able to participate. If you think your child might be interested, they can expect a supportive environment where their feelings about the treatment will be taken into account, and they will have the chance to try using VR during their dental visit.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Children aged between 6 and 12 years and their accompanying parent/legal-guardian.
• • Children scheduled for one of the following procedures: restorative treatments (amalgam, composite or stainless-steel crowns), pulp therapy and extractions
• • Children that can understand and speak French or English.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Children diagnosed with a cognitive, auditory, or cognitive impairment preventing them from interacting with the VR game.
• • Children diagnosed with epilepsy or any other condition preventing them from playing the VR game.
• • Children requiring urgent dental care
• • Children requiring dental treatment with conscious sedation (i.e. nitrous oxide inhalation and/or oral sedation with benzodiazepines)