Use of Virtual Reality (VR) as an Audio-Visual Distraction Tool in the Reduction of Dental Anxiety during Local Anesthesia

Aims: Dental anxiety is a relatively common problem and it leads to undesirable distresses, such as postponement or avoidance of dental treatment thereby resulting in poorer quality of treatment and reduced oral health related quality of life. Dental anxiety is especially seen in patients undergoing dental injections. To evaluate the effectiveness of audiovisual distraction in the reduction of dental anxiety during la injection.

Study design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and duration of study: Patients visiting Penang International Dental College, Malaysia, between June 2017 and July 2018.

Methodology: A total of 176 patients (88 female and 88 male) requiring endodontic therapy or tooth extraction were recruited for this study. A 14-question long questionnaire using Hamilton anxiety rating scale; and a separate feedback questionnaire was used to evaluate patients’ anxiety level and the severity of anxiety symptoms. Paired t-test was used to analyze the data.

Results: There was a significant reduction in the anxiety scores (p<0.001) of the patients following the use of VR distraction during the la procedure. On an average, the pre-test scores were 1.932 points higher than post-test scores.

Conclusion: Virtual reality could be used as a possible non-pharmacologic means of reducing dental anxiety in patients receiving local anesthesia.