Autonomic responses to dental procedures in pedodontic patients during a standard restoration session

Autonomic and behavioral responses to seven dental procedures were studied in 21 pedodontic patients aged six to 12. When mean pulse rate, pulse amplitude, absolute skin conductance, and skin-conductance responses were compared over all subjects, the injection of the local anesthetic consistently elicited the greatest response. In five patients where anesthesia was inadequate, painful high-speed drilling also elicited large responses. When autonomic responses were compared between high-anxious and low-anxious children, both groups showed similar transient responsiveness. High-anxious children showed a significantly higher basal level of sympathetic activity.