Effectiveness of virtual reality in reducing patient anxiety before and after the extraction of third molars under local anaesthesia

Anxiety related to dental care remains widespread. It has been demonstrated to be a significant factor in the failure of local anaesthesia. Effectively managing this anxiety is key to ensuring the success of the procedure. VR has recently emerged in the medical field as a new non-pharmacological tool to reduce anxiety in patients undergoing various procedures. The aim of this study is to assess the usefulness of VR in reducing the anxiety experienced by patients during the extraction of wisdom teeth under local anaesthesia. This study was a prospective, single-centre, controlled, open-label study, randomized into two balanced parallel groups. The primary objective was to assess the effectiveness of VR in reducing anxiety during the extraction of three or more than three wisdom teeth under local anaesthesia. The aim was to demonstrate a difference of at least 1.5 points on a 10-point scale between the VR group and the control group. 105 patients were included. 53 in the control group and 52 in the intervention group. Statistically, no significant difference was observed between the intervention group and the control group regarding the mean change in anxiety between the preoperative and postoperative periods ( -1.8 ± 3.5 for the intervention group versus -1.6 ± 4.1 for the control group; P = 0.75). Further studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of VR glasses in reducing anxiety in patients undergoing the extraction of third molars under local anaesthesia.