Behavioural and physiological outcomes of biofeedback therapy on dental anxiety of children undergoing restorations: a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Aim: To explore the efficacy of biofeedback as possible alternative means of psychological behaviour guidance in children receiving dental restorations.

Study design: Randomised clinical trial with a cross over design carried out on 40 children (19 boys and 21 girls) to determine the efficacy of biofeedback in reducing the dental anxiety through subjective and objective measures during restorative treatments under cotton roll isolation without administration of local analgesia.

Method: Highly anxious children with a minimum of five carious lesions were trained to lower their anxiety using biofeedback in five sessions within a 4-week interval, each session lasting for 45 min. After initial training, children were randomly divided into two groups and restorations were placed in four sequential therapeutic sessions with a 1-week interval and a follow-up visit 3 months later. First group received biofeedback in the second and third sessions; whereas the second group received biofeedback in the first and third sessions.

Results: Biofeedback therapy in children led to lower levels of anxiety in the initial appointments when assessed objectively, however the subjective methods of evaluation could not depict any statistically significant difference.

Conclusion: Biofeedback can be used in the initial visits for dentally anxious children and the usage of simpler biofeedback machines for these appointments in dental setup is suggested.