Comparative study of two different computer-controlled local anesthesia injection systems in children: a randomized...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Local Anesthesia Delivery Systems
• Pain Management

Background:

• Effective local anesthesia is crucial for pediatric dental procedures.
• Minimizing pain perception during injections enhances patient cooperation and reduces anxiety.
• Computer-controlled local anesthesia (CCLA) devices aim to improve injection comfort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the pain perception associated with two CCLA devices: WAND™ STA and Calaject.
• To evaluate the efficacy of Calaject versus WAND™ STA in reducing injection pain in young children.

Main Methods:

• A split-mouth randomized clinical trial involving 30 children aged 6-12 years.
• Local anesthesia was administered to the maxillary arch using both WAND™ STA and Calaject in separate sessions.
• Pain was assessed using heart rate, the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and Sound, Eye, and Motor (SEM) body movements.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in pulse rate was observed between the two devices.
• The Calaject device resulted in significantly lower Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain scores compared to WAND™ STA (p=0.017).
• Significantly lower Sound, Eye, and Motor (SEM) scores indicated less body movement with Calaject (p=0.002), despite a longer injection duration (p=0.001).

Conclusions:

• Calaject was more effective than WAND™ STA in reducing pain perception during periapical injections in young children.
• The findings suggest Calaject offers a more comfortable experience for pediatric patients undergoing local anesthesia.