Effectiveness of Distraction with Virtual Reality Eyewear in Managing 6–11-year-old Children with Hearing Impairment during Dental Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of distraction with virtual reality (VR) eyewear along with modified tell-show-do (MTSD) on anxiety levels of 6–11-year-old children with hearing impairment (HI) during the noninvasive dental procedure. Materials and methods: The randomized controlled trial included 40 children with HI aged 6–11 years requiring oral prophylaxis. The children were randomly allocated into two groups. Oral prophylaxis was carried out in both groups, where in group I (VR+MTSD, n=20), distraction with VR eyewear was performed along with MTSD, and in group II (MTSD, n=20), MTSD alone was used. Pre and postoperative anxiety levels were assessed using facial image scale (FIS) (subjective) and pulse rate (PR) (objective) measures. Paired t-test and unpaired t-test were used to analyze the obtained data. Results: Postoperative (post-op) PR readings in the VR+MTSD group were reduced by 6.95, whereas it was increased in the MTSD group by 8.55, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). Post-op FIS scores were found to be reduced in the VR+MTSD group by 2.15, whereas it was increased in the MTSD group by 0.10, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.033). Conclusion: Distraction using VR eyewear along with MTSD is effective in reducing anxiety levels in 6–11-year-old children with HI during noninvasive dental procedures. Clinical significance: Hearing-impaired children are usually anxious about the unknown and have unmet oral health needs due to communication barriers. This study provides evidence that the distraction using VR eyewear along with MTSD is effective in reducing anxiety levels in children with HI.