Pain and Anxiety Levels During Dental Restorations in Primary Molars: INJEX Needleless System vs Traditional Syringe

BACKGROUND Fear of discomfort can affect children's behavior. This study aimed to compare pain and anxiety levels of children undergoing dental restoration using a conventional technique and INJEX. MATERIAL AND METHODS A split-mouth, randomized controlled study was conducted on 25 children aged between 7 to 10 years. Children who required restoration were randomly allocated to one of the 2 groups: Group I (traditional system) and Group II (INJEX) [25 teeth in each group]. Following standard behavior guidance, a single operator delivered anesthesia. After 3 minutes, the restoration was performed. Pain intensity was assessed using Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) and Wong-Baker Faces Rating Pain scale (WBS), while child behavior was assessed using the Frankl Behavior Rating scale (FBRS). RESULTS Significant differences (P value <0.001) were observed between the 2 groups when the FLACC scores were analyzed during the administration of local anesthesia. There was a notable difference (P value <0.001) found in the WBS scores before and after injection, among which higher scores [4(2,6)] were observed in the traditional system group. CONCLUSIONS INJEX technique manifested benefits in the form of reduction in pain intensity levels felt by children, and their attitudes remained positive throughout the restorative procedure, which improve the experiences of both the child and the dental practitioner. The INJEX system could be a versatile alternative to the conventional technique. INJEX can be used to reduce preoperative fear and postoperative pain and the amount of anesthesia delivered.