Evaluation of the effect of virtual reality glasses on anxiety control in pediatric dentistry

Managing dental anxiety and fear in pediatric patients is one of the most challenging aspects of pediatric dentistry. Negative experiences related to previous dental treatments, the anticipation of pain, pain as the reason for the dental visit, and environmental stimuli can contribute to the development of fear and anxiety toward dental procedures in children. Ineffective management of dental fear and anxiety can reduce the success of treatment and negatively impact long-term oral health. To facilitate dental procedures in pediatric patients and promote positive dental experiences, behavior management techniques are commonly employed. While traditional behavior guidance methods are often sufficient, evolving interests among children and the integration of technological advancements into healthcare have led to the emergence of new and effective approaches to alleviate pediatric dental fear. Among these, virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) technologies have gained attention. VR glasses immerse the child in a fully virtual environment, isolating them from external stimuli, whereas MR glasses combine virtual elements with the real-world environment, allowing partial interaction with surroundings and facilitating distraction. In this thesis study, the effects of VR and MR glasses on dental fear and pain perception during local anesthesia administration in pediatric patients were comparatively evaluated. The study included 142 children aged 6–12 years without systemic disease who presented to our clinic in 2024 and required dental treatment under local anesthesia. Of these, 71 children were treated using VR glasses and 71 using MR glasses. Fear and pain surveys were administered before and after the local anesthesia procedure, pulse rate measurements were recorded, and patient behavior during the procedure was assessed by observers. The results demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in fear and pain scores after the use of both VR and MR glasses compared to baseline (p<0.05). However, no statistically significant difference was found between the VR and MR groups in terms of changes in fear and pain survey results (p>0.05). The findings of our study suggest that both virtual reality and mixed reality glasses are effective tools for managing fear and anxiety in pediatric dentistry and can be successfully utilized as distraction methods. Keywords: Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality, Fear and Anxiety