Comparison of a Computerized Anesthesia Device with a Traditional Syringe in Preschool Children

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of a computerized injection device (Wand) on reducing pain behavior during injections with preschool-aged children.

Methods: Subjects consisted of 40 patients between the ages of 2 and 5 requiring local anesthesia for dental restorations in the maxilla. Patients were randomly assigned to either the Wand or the traditional anesthetic delivery system. A palatal approach to the anterior and middle superior alveolar nerves and the anterior superior alveolar nerve was used with the Wand injections. Buccal infiltration and palatal injections were used for the traditional method. Pain behavior was observed and coded.

Results: Results of Fisher Exact tests found that using the Wand to deliver anesthetic lead to significantly fewer (P < .01) disruptive behaviors in preschool-aged children when compared with a traditional injection regimen. In addition, none of the preschool-aged children exposed to the Wand required restraint during the initial interval, while nearly half of the children receiving a traditional injection required some type of immediate restraint.

Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the Wand can significantly reduce disruptive behaviors in a population of young children who are traditionally more difficult to manage and may be one method of creating a more positive experience for the young child and the practitioner.