The purpose of this clinical trial was to compare two methods of delivering local dental anesthesia in undergraduate dental students: a computer-controlled local anesthetic delivery (CCLAD) system and a conventional dental syringe. The study evaluated whether the computer-controlled system reduced pain during the administration of local anesthesia compared with the conventional technique.
The main questions this study aimed to answer were:
Does a computer-controlled local anesthetic delivery system reduce pain during maxillary buccal infiltration compared with a conventional dental syringe? Are there differences in physiological responses (blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation) between the two anesthetic delivery methods? Which anesthetic delivery method do participants prefer after experiencing both techniques? Would participants recommend their preferred anesthetic delivery method to others? Participants attended two study visits approximately one week apart. Each participant received local anesthesia using both delivery methods in a randomized order, serving as his or her own control. Pain, dental anxiety, physiological parameters, anesthetic delivery preferences, and willingness to recommend the preferred method were assessed during the study.