Enhancing special care dentistry with waiting room based multisensory-adapted dental environment: A randomized controlled-trial.

AIM: To assess the effectiveness of waiting room based multisensory adapted dental environment (SADE) as a novel, non-invasive behavior management technique in alleviating anxiety levels in children with Down syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in the Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, D.Y. Patil University School of Dentistry, Nerul, Navi Mumbai. A total of 40 children between 8 and 13 years of age diagnosed with Down syndrome were included in our study. Prior to the first dental evaluation, they were divided equally into two groups using simple randomization via lottery system. Group A (Intervention group): Patients were subjected to a sensory adapted environment (SADE) in the waiting room for 10 min prior to dental evaluation. Group B (Control group): Patients were subjected to a regular dental environment (RDE) in the waiting room for 10 min prior to dental evaluation. Outcome parameters evaluated at baseline and post dental evaluation were anxiety and behavior, using a pulse oximeter and the Modified Venham's Scale respectively. Data were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS version 21.0 (SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL). The 'p' value < .05 was taken as significant at 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Mann-Whitney U test was used to carry out the inter group analysis which showed a significant increase in the heart rate (26.00, p = .00) in Group B and a significant decrease in the Modified Venham Scale score (90.00, p = .001) in Group A. The Wilcoxon Signed ranks test was used to carry out the intra group analysis for which a significant difference between the two time intervals for heart rate (-3.69, p = .00) and Modified Venham Scale score (-1.46, p = .03) was obtained in Group A whereas a significant difference was obtained only in the heart rate (-3.04, p = .002) in Group B. CONCLUSION: Multisensory-adapted dental environment (SADE) in the waiting room effectively improves behavior, reduces anxiety and sensory discomfort among children with Down syndrome.

Efficacy of eutectic topical anesthesia in stainless steel crown procedures for primary molars: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Prior literature highlights the importance of local anesthesia (LA) for stainless steel crown (SSC) preparation and placement. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of a eutectic mixture of local anesthesia (EMLA), a topical anesthesia, for this purpose remains unexplored. AIM: The study evaluated the effectiveness of two EMLA application methods during SSC preparation and placement. DESIGN: Eighty-four children between 4 and 8 years of age were randomly allocated to three intervention groups. Group A received EMLA applied supragingivally, Group B received a gingival retraction cord impregnated with EMLA (GRC_EMLA), and Group C (control) received LA. Pain was recorded using Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale (WBFPS) and Children Hospital Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS) at three time intervals. RESULTS: Control had highest mean pain scores at the first time interval in both maxillary and mandibular arches, followed by Group B and Group A, with statistically significant p-values (p = .00, p < .05). After preparation and placement, all three groups had low mean pain scores, with no statistically significant differences. Group A had minimal pain scores at all three time intervals, although not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: EMLA is a potent topical anesthetic and can be used as an alternative to LA for conventional SSC preparation and placement in primary molars.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of sucrose versus xylitol application in minimizing pain related to dental injection in 5-7-year-old children - A randomized controlled pilot study.

Background: Oral application of sweet-tasting solutions has found to be effective in minimizing pain on dental injection in children. Xylitol has never been tested in this regard. Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of prior application of sucrose versus xylitol solution in minimizing pain on dental injection in 5-7-year-old children. Settings and Design: This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial. Materials and Methods: Informed consent was taken. A total of 30 children who required maxillary buccal infiltration injection were selected. The children were randomly allocated into the sucrose group, xylitol group, or control group by lottery method. In the sucrose and xylitol groups, 30% sucrose or 30% xylitol solution was applied on the lateral surface of the tongue for 2 min. In the control group, distilled water was applied. In all the groups, the topical anesthetic was applied at the site of injection followed by buccal infiltration. A video was taken during injection, and the sound eye-motor (SEM) scale was recorded by a blinded examiner. Patients were asked to self-evaluate using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale (WBFPS). Statistical Analysis: Mann-Whitney test was used to analyze the data. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the WBFPS and the SEM score between the sucrose and the control group (P < 0.05) and the xylitol and control group (P < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was found between the sucrose and xylitol group. Conclusion: The application of xylitol solution before dental injection was as effective as sucrose solution in minimizing pain during the injection.

Evaluation of dental anxiety in children with Down's syndrome using dog-assisted therapy: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Dental anxiety and fear are the major treatment challenges faced by pediatric dentists. Oral hygiene in children with Down's syndrome is highly compromised in comparison to their healthy counterparts. Animal-assisted therapy, through dogs, has been beneficial in alleviating dental fear and anxiety in healthy pediatric population. AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of dog-assisted therapy (DAT) on children with Down's syndrome undergoing dental examination and fluoride varnish application in dental operatory. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty children with Down's syndrome between 5 and 12 years of age were selected. Group A (intervention group): DAT was carried out in the dental operatory. Group B (control group): Dental treatment was performed in the absence of a therapy dog in the dental operatory. Anxiety levels were evaluated by recording the pulse rate and revised modified faces version of the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDAS[f]). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The intergroup comparison of pulse rate was done using an unpaired t-test, whereas the variation in intragroup pulse rate was analyzed using the Analysis of Variance test. The anxiety scores were subjected to a paired t-test for intragroup comparison with P < 0.05 considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: Reduction in dental anxiety was observed in the intervention group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: DAT can be used as an effective behavior management technique for children with Down's syndrome undergoing dental examination and simple dental procedures in the dental operatory.

Efficacy of Intraosseous Local Anesthesia for Restorative Procedures in Molar Incisor Hypomineralization-Affected Teeth in Children.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of teeth affected with molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) in young patients is challenging due to chronic subclinical pulpal inflammation caused by porous enamel and exposed dentin. Hypersensitivity of the teeth and difficulty in achieving local anesthesia due to altered nerve potential affects the successful completion of the treatment. AIM: The aim of the study was to compare the anesthetic efficacy of the intraosseous (IO) anesthetic technique with conventional local infiltration technique in anesthetizing first permanent molars (FPMs) affected by MIH for restorative procedures in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial recruited 54 MIH-affected mandibular or maxillary FPMs requiring restorations or stainless steel crowns. The teeth were randomly allocated to two equal groups to receive either IO injection or buccal infiltration (control), both using 4% articaine. Onset, time required, and pain experienced for administration, need for repeat, efficacy of anesthetic technique, heart rate, and postoperative complications were recorded in both the groups. Collected data were subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS: Onset was significantly faster and pain experienced during administration was significantly lower with IO technique. Need for repeat of anesthesia was significantly more with infiltration (44.4% vs. 7.4% in IO, P = 0.004). Local infiltration failed to produce profound anesthesia in 74.1% MIH-affected teeth. IO anesthesia profoundly anesthetized 88.9% MIH-affected teeth. Anesthetic efficacy was significantly better with IO anesthesia (P < 0.001). Postoperative complications were significantly lower with IO anesthesia (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: IO local anesthesia was found to be an effective and safe technique to achieve profound anesthesia in MIH-affected teeth in children in comparison to local infiltration.