Due to their safety, ease-of-use and accessibility, distraction with virtual reality (VR) can effectively alleviate pain and anxiety in younger children during dental procedures.

To examine the effect of virtual reality (VR) distraction on pain and anxiety levels in 6- to 8-year-old children undergoing primary molar pulpotomy.

Eligible children for bilateral mandibular molar pulpotomy were included in this crossover clinical trial. During the 1st session, pulpotomy was conducted for 15 children using VR glasses, whereas 15 children without these glasses. This tendency was switched at the 2nd session and pulpotomy was performed for the other tooth. 

The anxiety levels were evaluated with the help of Pulse Rate (PR) and the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDAS). The Wong–Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFP) measured the perception of pain before and after the use of VR.  Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version-25 was used to examine the data.

Even though the mean PR did not considerably vary between the two groups, the test group displayed considerably lower scores of MCDAS (P value = 0.02) and WBFP (P value = 0.001 than the control group

VR headsets observed to lower pain and anxiety levels in pediatric patients undergoing dental procedures (such as primary mandibular pulpotomy).