Efficacy of Different Pediatric Local Anesthesia Delivery Techniques in Reducing Pain and Anxiety: A Randomized...

Pain and anxiety during local anesthesia (LA) administration are major concerns in pediatric dentistry, as they greatly influence a child's participation during dental treatment. The purpose of this research was aimed at assessing and comparing the effectiveness of three different techniques for delivering LA-namely the conventional syringe, Woodpecker StarPen, and Buzzy® system-in alleviating pain and anxiety associated with inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) administration in children aged 6-10 years.

A randomized clinical trial was carried out on 120 healthy children aged 6-10 years who needed an IANB. Participants were randomly allotted into three groups (n = 40 each): group I-conventional syringe, group II-Woodpecker StarPen, and group III-Buzzy® system. Pain and anxiety were assessed using physiological [heart rate (HR)], subjective (Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale), and behavioral/objective [Face, Leg, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) scale] measures. Obtained data were statistically analyzed.

In all three groups, HR, subjective pain perception [Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale (WBFPS)], and behavioral responses (FLACC) scores increased during LA administration and declined postadministration. The Buzzy® group demonstrated significantly lower HR, WBFPS, and FLACC scores compared with the conventional syringe and StarPen groups, indicating superior control of pain and anxiety. The StarPen group showed moderate improvement over the conventional technique but was less effective than the Buzzy® system.

The Buzzy® system proved to be the most efficient in reducing pain and anxiety during administration of LA in children, followed by the StarPen and conventional syringe. It may be considered a valuable tool for improving patient comfort in pediatric dental settings.