Is Digital Anesthesia a Viable Alternative for Pain and Anxiety Control in Pediatric Dentistry?

Abstract

Background: Pain and anxiety during dental procedures remain major challenges in pediatric dentistry, particularly during local anesthesia administration. Aim: This study compared the effectiveness of digital anesthesia systems versus conventional infiltration and mandibular block techniques in managing pain, anxiety, and behavioral responses in pediatric dental patients. Design: Seventy-nine children aged 6–12 were randomly assigned to receive anesthesia via digital anesthesia system (DAS), infiltration, or mandibular block. Pain was assessed using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFRPS), anxiety via the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDAS), and behavioral responses through the FLACC scale. Statistical analyses included ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis, and chi-square tests (p < 0.05). Results: Children in the DAS group reported significantly lower pain scores during needle insertion, anesthetic delivery, and treatment. Post-treatment MCDAS scores decreased significantly in the DAS group, especially for items related to “tooth examination,” “filling,” and “gingival injection.” FLACC results also indicated more favorable behavioral responses—such as relaxed facial expressions and absence of crying—in the digital group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Digital anesthesia appears to be a highly effective alternative to conventional techniques for minimizing pain, reducing dental anxiety, and improving behavioral cooperation in pediatric patients, supporting its broader implementation in clinical practice. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06992193.