Comparative Clinical Study Between Virtual Reality Hypnosis and Nitrous Oxide Inhalation for Dental Anxie

University Hospital, Strasbourg, France30 enrolled

Overview

The vicious circle of dental anxiety impacts major aspects of a child's quality of life. Hypnosis using distraction is one of the most common non-pharmalogical techniques in behavior and pain management in pediatric dentistry. Its value over traditional pharmalogical sedation is undeniable. This clinical study examines the application of hypnosis delivered through immersive virtual reality (VR) for anxious children ongoing dental procedures. The investigators will explore whether VR is as effective on pain and anxiety relief as a pharmacological sedation with inhalation of nitrous oxide.

The working hypothesis of this study is that hypnosis through virtual reality can reduce children's anxiety as well as their pain level during dental care with an efficiency and tolerance at least similar to nitrous oxide inhalation. Specifically, the statistical analyses will be based on an assumption of non-inferiority of VR compared to the pharmacological technique of nitrous oxide sedation. Each patient (aged from 6 to 10) attended for two visits in order to benefit of 2 similar conservative dental treatments on primary molars. Everyone was randomly allocated to receive hypnosis through virtual reality or nitrous oxide/oxygen titrated to 50%/50% at the first visit, the alternative being used at the second visit. This randomization helps avoid any experimental bias related to a first positive or negative experience, each patient being its own control. Vital signs and a video of the child's behavior are recorded for an external examinator. The video shows the child's body response as an indicator for his anxiety level through the procedures. The child's face doesn't appear on the video in order to reduce risks of bias.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 7 YearsMax age: 10 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion criteria: * Patients aged between 7 and 10 years * With an indication for conservative and/or endodontic care of at least 2 temporary molars belonging to the same dental arch, unilateral or bilateral, and equivalent in terms of caries and symptoms * With dental anxiety * ASA I patients Exclusion criteria: * Patient with a history of MEOPA or virtual reality sedation for dental treatment * Patient refusing to do preoperative intra-oral x-rays * Patient with one of the MEOPA contraindications * Patient with a history of post-operative nausea vomiting or motion sickness * Patient with visual or hearing disorders * Patient presenting with a psychiatric pathology or having taken psychotropic drugs in the 8 weeks preceding the 1st visit and during the duration of the study * Patient with claustrophobia * Patient without French Social Security coverage * Lack of consent from the holders of parental authority to participate in the study

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Anxiolysis assessed by a standardized hetero-assessment scale (Venham Modified Scale)

Child behavior can be assessed using the Veerkamp Modified Venham Scale (VMS). This is a scale from 0 (completely calm and relaxed patient) to 5 (distressed patient, completely disconnected). Several parameters are taken into account in this scale such as: the child's movements, crying or screaming, the possibility or not of performing the treatment. The authors have found this scale to be a reliable, easy-to-use and reproducible instrument when it comes to assessing children's behavior. This outcome measure is assessed by an external examinator with the video recording the procedures.

Time frame: 5 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Assessment of analgesia with VR

Assessment of analgesia using self-assessed pain levels on standardized age-appropriate scales (VAS: Visual Analogue Scale)

Time frame: 5 weeks

Assessment of children's tolerance levels to VR and pharmacological technique.

Assessment of tolerance and response to VR-MEOPA using the number and proportion of patients intolerant to VR and to pharmacological techniques. Evaluate the proportion of VR or MEOPA sessions interrupted (lack of therapeutic continuity). Any patient who has interrupted VR more than once or who refused VR during the procedure is considered intolerant of VR.

Time frame: 5 weeks

Assessment of the impact of the child's temperament on his acceptance of nitrous oxide and RV sedations using a questionnaire and a temperament scale

To assess the child's temperament dimensions, parents answer to an Emotionality, Activity and Sociability questionnaire with the help of an investigator before the treatment session. The AES questionnaire had already been validated in France in children aged from 6 to 12 years-old in 2002. The AES questionnaire is a questionnaire containing 25 items based on a model of three main dimensions: Emotionality, Activity and Sociability. Each item has a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (extremely false, not at all corresponding to my child) to 5 (extremely fair, corresponding to my child).

Time frame: The parents answer to the questionnaire on the first visit during inclusion.

Comparative Clinical Study Between Virtual Reality Hypnosis and Nitrous Oxide Inhalation for Dental Anxie

Overview

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes

Central Contacts