Distraction with AR Glasses During Dental Anesthesia: A Behavioral Assessment in Children

Abstract

Research background and aim: Managing distraction during local anesthesia injections in children is crucial for improving their behavior and minimizing negative dental experiences. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) glasses in children undergoing an inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB), by using animated cartoons with or without interactive gaming. Child behavior was evaluated using the Houpt Behavior Rating Scale.

Materials and methods: A randomized clinical study was conducted on 108 children aged 7 to 9 years who underwent a dental procedure requiring an inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) injection. Participants were randomly assigned to four groups: Group A (control) received passive distraction by watching ani

mated  cartoons on a mobile screen; Group B received passive distraction via

cartoons displayed through a mobile device connected to augmented reality (AR) glasses; Group C experienced active distraction by playing video games on a mobile device connected to AR glasses; and Group D received a combination of active distraction through video games before the procedure, followed by passive distraction through cartoons via AR glasses during the injection. Children's behavior was assessed using the HOUPT Behavior Rating Scale. The Kruskal-Wallis test was employed to analyze differences in behavior scores among groups, with statistical significance set at P < 0.05.

Results: The results of this study revealed that the mean rank scores were 51.96 for Group A, 52.50 for Group B, 64.78 for Group C, and 66.76 for Group D. The Kruskal-Wallis test indicated statistically significant differences in overall behavior among the groups (P < 0.05). Further pairwise comparisons using the Mann-Whitney U test showed that Groups D and C performed significantly better than the other two groups.

Conclusions: The study concluded that the use of augmented reality (AR) glasses for active distraction through gaming prior to the procedure—either alone or combined with passive cartoon viewing during injection—significantly improved children's overall behavior during local anesthesia administration.