Virtual Reality vs. Standard-of-Care for Comfort During Dental Procedures in Children

A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial of Virtual Reality vs. Standard-of-Care for Comfort During Dental Treatment

Children sometimes need dental procedures which can be painful and associated with child pain and anxiety. In addition to pain medication, distraction may help children cope with the pain. This may include interacting with books, TV, toys or videogames.

Virtual Reality (VR) is an immersive experience using sight, sound, and position sense. Using VR may enhance distraction during the painful procedure and may reduce attention to pain.

This study will randomize children (4 - 16 years old) to receive Virtual Reality or standard of care in addition to local anesthetics during dental procedures. Pain, anxiety and satisfaction will be measured as well as the amount of analgesics used and the timing of the procedure. Outcome measures will be compared between the two groups.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Children age 4 to < 17 years
2. Arriving to the UBC dentistry clinic and need dental assessment/procedures
3. Parents will sign a consent form and children will sign an assent form

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Children with conditions that may prohibit participation or evaluation of the procedure (such as developmental delay, autism, challenging communication)
2. Facial features prohibiting wearing the VR goggles
3. Children needing sedation that includes inhalation via a mask (N2O) or IV/IM sedation