Comparison of Pain and Anxiety Levels with Two Different Local Anesthesia Delivery Systems in Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background:In pediatric patients, it is of utmost importance to deal with pain during invasive and noninvasive dental procedures.In this study, two different local anesthesia delivery systems-Star Pen and Buzzy-were compared to the traditional syringe in reducing pain and apprehension in children aged between 5 and 10 years.Aim: To evaluate and compare the pain levels and anxiety levels while local anesthesia is being delivered using Star Pen and Buzzy system in children between the ages of 5 and 10 years.Materials and methods: Children between the aged 5 and 10 years were recruited, who were randomly split into three different groups-group I: Star Pen, group II: Buzzy, and group III: Conventional syringe.Local anesthesia was administered, followed by standard extraction procedures.Anxiety and pain measurements were recorded using Venham's Picture Test (VPT), face, leg, activity, cry, consolability (FLACC) scale, Animated Visual Pain Rating Scale, and pulse oximeter to measure pulse rate and oxygen saturation.Results: Star Pen and Buzzy group showed lower pain and anxiety scores; lower post-treatment pulse rates were found in the Buzzy group, whereas Star Pen group showed lower VPT and FLACC scores.Conclusion: Star Pen and Buzzy systems can be used as effective adjuncts in pediatric dentistry to reduce pain and apprehension.