Effectiveness of Digital Anesthesia Versus Conventional Techniques in Reducing Pain and Anxiety in Children

This randomized controlled clinical trial was designed to compare the effects of digital anesthesia, conventional infiltration, and mandibular block techniques on pain perception, anxiety levels, and behavioral responses in paediatric dental patients. The study was conducted at two academic institutions: Ege University and Beykent University in Turkey. A total of 79 healthy, cooperative children aged 6 to 12 years requiring restorative, endodontic, or extraction procedures on primary teeth were randomly assigned to one of three anesthesia groups: digital anesthesia (n=34), infiltration (n=22), and mandibular block (n=23). Randomization was performed using a computer-generated sequence, and pain, anxiety, and behavior were assessed by a blinded, calibrated examiner. The digital anesthesia group received intraosseous injection via the SleeperOne 5® system (using 4% articaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine). The infiltration and block groups received 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine using conventional syringes. All patients received topical 20% benzocaine gel prior to injection. Pain was assessed at three time points (needle insertion, anesthetic delivery, and treatment) using the Wong-Baker FACES scale. Dental anxiety was measured pre- and post-treatment using the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDAS), and behavioral responses were recorded during treatment using the FLACC scale. The aim was to evaluate whether digital anesthesia provides superior outcomes in terms of comfort, reduced fear, and improved cooperation in the paediatric dental setting.