Effects of Preoperative Immersive and Non-Immersive Virtual Reality Exposure on Dental Anxiety in Children: A...

Preoperative familiarisation using virtual reality (VR) devices before dental treatment is an innovative strategy to manage dental anxiety in children.

To evaluate the effectiveness of preoperative immersive and non-immersive VR exposure in children with dental anxiety and its correlation with physiological response.

A total of 66 children aged 9-12 years with dental anxiety were randomised into immersive VR exposure (IVRE), non-immersive VR exposure (NIVRE), and control groups. Before receiving a fissure sealant on one permanent molar, IVRE participants navigated a virtual dental clinic, NIVRE participants viewed dental-themed cartoons, and controls waited as usual. Pre- and post-intervention anxiety (Malay-MCDAS_f) and pulse rate were analysed using ANOVA, paired t-tests, and Pearson's correlation.

Of 66 participants, two dropped out. IVRE and NIVRE significantly reduced dental anxiety compared to control (IVRE vs. Control: p = 0.008; NIVRE vs. Control: p = 0.009), with large effect sizes. No significant differences in PR reductions between groups (p = 0.052, d = 0.09), indicating a small clinical effect. A significant postoperative correlation existed between Malay-MCDAS_f and PR (r = 0.285, p = 0.022).

VR reduced children's preoperative dental anxiety but did not significantly affect pulse rate. The correlation between self-reported anxiety and physiological response highlights VR's potential as an adjunct in paediatric anxiety management (197 words).

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05854329; National Medical Research Register: NMRR ID-23-01114-ATC.