Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Damascus University, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic.
BMC Oral Health. 2024 Aug 22;24(1):976. doi: 10.1186/s12903-024-04732-6.
Dental simulation games are virtual educational games that help children get familiar with different dental procedures. This study aimed to evaluate the pretreatment exposure to the "Baby Panda Dental Care" game in reducing pain and anxiety in comparison with the tell-show-do (TSD) technique during primary molars pulpotomy for patients aged 6-10 years.
It was a triple-blinded, two-arm, parallel-group, randomized, active-controlled trial. It was done on 60 patients, who were randomly divided into two groups: the control group, TSD technique (n = 30), and the experimental group, "Baby Panda Dental" Care (n = 30). For the TSD technique, children were provided with a verbal explanation followed by a demonstration of the dental treatment in a non-threatening way. The "do" phase is then initiated during performing treatment. For the "Baby Panda dental care" game, children were asked to play for 5 min before treatment, selecting root canal therapy procedures. Pulse rate and RMS pictorial scale were recorded at four time points: (1) at the baseline (t). (2) After conditioning the child (t). (3) During treatment (t). (4) After finishing the treatment (t). Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) behavioral pain scale was recorded during treatment (t).
The pulse rate is higher in the control group at t (p = 0.012) and t (p = 0.015). There was a statistically significant difference in the mean RMS pictorial scale score at t (p < 0.001), t (p = 0.006), and t (p < 0.001), a statistically significant difference was noticed in FLACC behavioral pain assessment between the two groups (p = 0.033).
The mobile dental game showed better results than the TSD technique, but neither technique did not reduce anxiety and pain effectively during dental treatment.
The trial was registered at the ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN30470866) on 19/04/2024.
牙科模拟游戏是一种虚拟教育游戏，可以帮助儿童熟悉不同的牙科操作。本研究旨在评估“熊猫宝宝口腔护理”游戏在 6-10 岁儿童第一恒磨牙活髓切断术中的预治疗暴露情况，与“说-示-做”（TSD）技术相比，以减轻疼痛和焦虑。
这是一项三盲、双臂、平行组、随机、主动对照试验。共纳入 60 例患者，随机分为两组：对照组（TSD 技术，n=30）和实验组（“熊猫宝宝口腔护理”游戏，n=30）。TSD 技术中，儿童先接受口头解释，然后以非威胁的方式进行牙科治疗演示，然后在进行治疗时开始“做”阶段。对于“熊猫宝宝口腔护理”游戏，在治疗前让儿童玩 5 分钟，选择根管治疗程序。在四个时间点记录脉搏率和 RMS 图像量表：（1）在基线（t）时。（2）在孩子适应后（t）。（3）在治疗期间（t）。（4）在治疗结束后（t）。在治疗期间（t）记录面部、腿部、活动、哭泣、安慰（FLACC）行为疼痛量表。
在 t 时（p=0.012）和 t 时（p=0.015），对照组的脉搏率更高。在 t 时（p<0.001）、t 时（p=0.006）和 t 时（p<0.001），RMS 图像量表评分的平均值存在统计学差异，两组间的 FLACC 行为疼痛评估存在统计学差异（p=0.033）。
移动牙科游戏的效果优于 TSD 技术，但两种技术都不能有效地减轻牙科治疗过程中的焦虑和疼痛。
该试验于 2024 年 4 月 19 日在 ISRCTN 注册中心（ISRCTN30470866）注册。
