Overview
This split-mouth randomized clinical trial will evaluate the effect of virtual reality (VR) distraction on pain perception, anxiety, physiological responses, and patient experience during local anaesthesia administration and restorative dental treatment in adults. Participants requiring bilateral Class I restorative treatment will receive treatment with and without VR distraction in randomized order. Pain, anxiety, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and patient-reported experience will be compared between the two conditions to determine whether VR improves patient comfort during routine dental care.
Description
Dental anxiety and pain associated with local anesthesia and restorative procedures remain important barriers to seeking dental care and may negatively affect the overall patient experience. Virtual reality (VR) distraction has emerged as a non-pharmacological intervention that provides immersive audiovisual stimulation and may reduce procedural anxiety and pain by diverting patients' attention from the dental procedure.
This study is designed as a split-mouth randomized clinical trial in adult patients requiring bilateral Class I restorative treatment. Each participant will receive restorative treatment under two conditions: conventional treatment without VR and treatment with VR distraction, with the order of interventions randomized. The split-mouth design allows each participant to serve as their own control, minimizing inter-individual variability.
The primary objectives are to evaluate the effect of VR distraction on anxiety and pain perception during local anesthesia administration and restorative dental treatment. Secondary objectives include assessment of physiological responses (pulse rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and oxygen saturation), patient comfort, unpleasant symptoms, treatment experience, awareness of the clinical surroundings, preference for future VR use, and the influence of VR on dental clinic selection.
The findings will contribute to the evidence regarding the effectiveness of immersive VR as an adjunctive, non-pharmacological approach for improving patient experience during routine restorative dental procedures.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adults (≥18 years) requiring bilateral Class I restorative dental treatment.
- Presence of bilateral Class I carious lesions extending to the inner one-third of dentin (D3) with symptoms of reversible pulpitis.
- Willing and able to provide written informed consent.
- Willing to participate in the study and comply with study procedures.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Children (\<18 years).
- American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status Class III or higher.
- Deep Class I carious lesions with pulpal involvement.
- Mentally or medically compromised patients.
- Patients presenting with acute dental pain, such as acute pulpitis.
