Using AR and VR glasses to help children feel less pain and anxiety during local dental anesthesia
Official title: The Effect of Augmented Reality Versus Virtual Reality Glasses as Distraction Techniques in Children During the Administration of Local Anesthesia A Randomized Clinical Trial
Run by Ain Shams University · NCT07060170 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) glasses to see if they help children aged 5–8 feel less pain and anxiety during local dental anesthesia.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 5 Years to 8 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Ain Shams University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Cairo, Egypt) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | December 1, 2024 |
| Main results expected | July 31, 2025 |
| Study ends | August 30, 2025 |
| Registry record updated | July 11, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07060170 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Children aged 5–8 who are cooperative (Frankl behavior rating 3–4), healthy (ASA I), at normal weight for age, without anxiety disorders or prior local anesthetic exposure, and who need local anesthetic for deep caries in primary molars on both sides are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Children with special health care needs, known anxiety or salivary gland disorders, those on corticosteroids, those who have previously received local anesthesia, or uncooperative children are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit from the tested interventions.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This single-center pediatric study compares augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) glasses as audiovisual distraction during local anesthetic injections in children aged 5–8. After an introductory visit to familiarize children with the dental environment and confirm cooperation, participants attend two treatment visits in which they wear AR or VR glasses (one type per visit) while receiving local infiltration anesthesia. Researchers will collect saliva for biomarkers (salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol) and continuously record vital signs such as heart rate and oxygen saturation before and after anesthesia to measure physiological stress and pain responses. The within-subject design allows direct comparison of the two distraction methods in the same child at the Pediatric Dentistry Department of Ain Shams University in Cairo.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these glasses could help children experience less pain and anxiety during dental injections, making visits easier and less stressful.
How similar studies have gone: Previous pediatric research has shown that virtual reality distraction can reduce procedural pain and anxiety, while augmented reality has been less extensively studied but shows early promise.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. 5-8 year-old female and male patients. 2. Cooperative patients (rating 3 or 4 on the Frankl's Behavior Rating Scale). 3. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Class (I). 4. Patients need dental treatment under local anesthetic infiltration. 5. Patients without known anxiety disorders. 6. Patients with body weight that is considered normal according to their age and gender (95th percentile growth curve). 7. Patients without a prior history of receiving local anesthetic. 8. Patients with at least one vital primary molar with deep carious lesion on each side of the dental arch, who require to be treated under local anesthesia Exclusion Criteria 1. Patients with special health care needs. 2. Patients on corticosteroid medications. 3. Patients having known salivary disorders, such as Sjogren's syndrome. 4. Parents who refused to sign the informed consent.
Where it's running
-
Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Cairo, Egypt, Egypt Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Master's Degree Candidate
- Email: rihamamir@dent.asu.edu.eg
- Phone: 1554566997
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Using a kaleidoscope or cartoons to reduce pain and anxiety during dental injections for children
This test will see if using a kaleidoscope or watching cartoons reduces pain, fear, and anxiety during local anesthesia injections in children aged 7–12.
-
Alpha-Band Binaural Beats During Third Molar Surgery
This study tests whether listening to 10 Hz alpha-band binaural beats embedded in rain sounds can reduce preoperative anxiety and improve recovery for adults undergoing impacted third molar extraction.
-
Virtual Reality storytelling versus a storybook to ease dental anxiety in children
This study tests whether watching a VR dental story or reading the same story aloud by a dentist helps 6- to 10-year-old Arabic-speaking children feel calmer before dental visits.
-
Virtual reality to ease anxiety during wisdom tooth surgery
A randomized trial tests whether wearing a VR headset with relaxing scenes before and during mandibular third molar removal reduces anxiety compared with usual care.
-
Multisensory Approaches to Help Kids Handle Dental Checkups
This study tests whether VR distraction, a weighted blanket, or both can help 5–9 year-olds stay calmer and tolerate dental procedures with local anesthesia.
-
Compare how much pain kids feel during local anesthesia with what a parent thinks they feel
This study tests whether a parent can accurately gauge their child’s pain during local anesthesia during dental treatment.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.