Photobiomodulation for Controlling Pre-Local Anesthetic Injection Pain

NCT ID: NCT06128590

Last Updated: 2024-07-18

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 50 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-02-15
• Study Completion Date: 2024-02-20

Brief Summary

The objective of this study is to assess whether pre-anesthetic photobiomodulation (PBM) can effectively reduce needle puncture pain and enhance the efficiency of local anesthesia. In this double-blind randomized controlled trial, 50 participants were included. The control group underwent the standard anesthetic procedure, while the experimental group received the application of an infrared laser (100mW at 808nm, 8J at a single point) immediately before anesthesia, at the site of the intended needle puncture. Both groups underwent the same anesthetic procedure, administered by the same operator. The outcome evaluator and the patient were blind to the FBM application. The primary outcome of the study focused on pain experienced at the time of needle insertion, assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) during the needle's introduction. Secondary outcomes encompassed anxiety levels, measured using the Beck questionnaire, anesthetic onset time determined through the electric pulp test, the number of anesthetics required for the procedure, and the necessity for supplementary anesthesia.

Detailed Description

Dental fear and phobia are widespread worldwide, with local anesthesia being one of the procedures that patients fear the most. To alleviate the pain associated with needle insertion and the need for repeat procedures, various complementary therapies have been introduced. However, to date, there is no established protocol for this intervention. The objective of this study is to assess whether pre-anesthetic photobiomodulation (PBM) can effectively reduce needle puncture pain and enhance the efficiency of local anesthesia. In this double-blind randomized controlled trial, 50 participants were included. The control group underwent the standard anesthetic procedure, while the experimental group received the application of an infrared laser (100mW at 808nm, 8J at a single point) immediately before anesthesia, at the site of the intended needle puncture. Both groups underwent the same anesthetic procedure, administered by the same operator. The outcome evaluator and the patient were blind to the FBM application. The primary outcome of the study focused on pain experienced at the time of needle insertion, assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) during the needle's introduction. Secondary outcomes encompassed anxiety levels, measured using the Beck questionnaire, anesthetic onset time determined through the electric pulp test, the number of anesthetics required for the procedure, and the necessity for supplementary anesthesia. Categorical variables will be presented as absolute and relative frequencies and compared using the Pearson chi-squared test, likelihood ratio test, or Fisher's exact test. Quantitative variables will be assessed for normality using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Outcome variables will be presented as mean and standard deviation or median and interquartile range (IQR) and compared using the Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney test. Variables measured under multiple conditions will be compared using analysis of variance for repeated measures. A significance level of P < 0.05 will be considered statistically significant.

Conditions

Fear Needles

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: TRIPLE

Study Groups

Experimental: Photobiomodulation (Group A)

Participants will receive photobiomodulation therapy immediately before local anesthesia, in the same place where the puncture will be performed for pterygomandibular anesthesia.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Photobiomodulation

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Photobiomodulation was applied before the procedures at an infrared wavelength of 808nm, at a power of 100mW, 1 point with a total energy of 8J, time of 80s, irradiance of 3.33W/cm² and radiant exposure of 266.66 J/cm2. The application point was on the retromolar region where the needle was inserted to perform the anesthetic, in a single application before the procedure.

The patient and operator were properly protected with goggles in both the control and experimental groups.

Mepivacaine hydrochloride in combination with epinephrine

Intervention Type: DRUG

The anesthetic of choice will be Mepivacaine, which is widely used in dentistry with duration between 1.5 and 2 minutes. The maximum recommended dose is 6.6 mg/Kg, not exceeding 400 mg or 11 anesthetic tubes.

It is a sterile injectable solution of 2% mepivacaine hydrochloride (20 mg/mL) in combination with epinephrine 1:100,000 (0.01 mg/mL). Each vial contains 1.8 mL, 36 mg of mepivacaine hydrochloride, and 0.018 mg of epinephrine. All patients will use anesthetics from the same brand (DLA Pharmaceutical LTDA), one of the most widely used on the market. All patients will be anesthetized with tubes from the same batch, one tube per procedure.

Control: Laser Sham (Group B)

The participants will be treated in the same way as in group A. The person responsible for applying the PBM will simulate the irradiations by positioning the device in the same place as described for the experimental group, but the equipment will be switched off. So that the participant does not identify the group to which they belong, the device's activation sound (beep) will be simulated by the device itself, which makes the beep sound by pressing the activation button only once. After this, pterygomandibular anesthesia will be carried out in the same way.

Group Type: SHAM_COMPARATOR

Mepivacaine hydrochloride in combination with epinephrine

Intervention Type: DRUG

The anesthetic of choice will be Mepivacaine, which is widely used in dentistry with duration between 1.5 and 2 minutes. The maximum recommended dose is 6.6 mg/Kg, not exceeding 400 mg or 11 anesthetic tubes.

It is a sterile injectable solution of 2% mepivacaine hydrochloride (20 mg/mL) in combination with epinephrine 1:100,000 (0.01 mg/mL). Each vial contains 1.8 mL, 36 mg of mepivacaine hydrochloride, and 0.018 mg of epinephrine. All patients will use anesthetics from the same brand (DLA Pharmaceutical LTDA), one of the most widely used on the market. All patients will be anesthetized with tubes from the same batch, one tube per procedure.

Photobiomodulation simulation

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The participants will be treated in the same manner as in group A. The person responsible for the application of FBM will simulate the irradiations by placing the device in the same location described for the experimental group, but the equipment will remain turned off. To prevent the participant from identifying their group, the activation sounds of the devices (beeps) will be recorded to simulate the device's operation.

Interventions

Photobiomodulation

Photobiomodulation was applied before the procedures at an infrared wavelength of 808nm, at a power of 100mW, 1 point with a total energy of 8J, time of 80s, irradiance of 3.33W/cm² and radiant exposure of 266.66 J/cm2. The application point was on the retromolar region where the needle was inserted to perform the anesthetic, in a single application before the procedure.

The patient and operator were properly protected with goggles in both the control and experimental groups.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Mepivacaine hydrochloride in combination with epinephrine

The anesthetic of choice will be Mepivacaine, which is widely used in dentistry with duration between 1.5 and 2 minutes. The maximum recommended dose is 6.6 mg/Kg, not exceeding 400 mg or 11 anesthetic tubes.

It is a sterile injectable solution of 2% mepivacaine hydrochloride (20 mg/mL) in combination with epinephrine 1:100,000 (0.01 mg/mL). Each vial contains 1.8 mL, 36 mg of mepivacaine hydrochloride, and 0.018 mg of epinephrine. All patients will use anesthetics from the same brand (DLA Pharmaceutical LTDA), one of the most widely used on the market. All patients will be anesthetized with tubes from the same batch, one tube per procedure.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Photobiomodulation simulation

The participants will be treated in the same manner as in group A. The person responsible for the application of FBM will simulate the irradiations by placing the device in the same location described for the experimental group, but the equipment will remain turned off. To prevent the participant from identifying their group, the activation sounds of the devices (beeps) will be recorded to simulate the device's operation.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Other Intervention Names

Local anesthetic

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• From 18 to 60 years old
• Both genders
• Without comorbidities
• Who required pterygomandibular anaesthesia for a dental procedure.

Exclusion Criteria

• Any sign of pain or inflammation at the puncture site (e.g. presence of pericoronaritis)
• Active periodontitis/gingivitis
• Use of a pacemaker
• Use of prostheses, fixed metal appliances
• Using anti-inflammatory, analgesic or corticosteroid therapy for less than 1 week.
• Pregnant and/or breastfeeding women
• Need to use a local anaesthetic other than Mepivacaine with vasoconstrictor (anaesthetic of choice for the study)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Nove de Julho

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Anna Carolina Ratto Tempestini Horliana

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Anna Carolina Horliana, PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

University of Nove de Julho

Locations

Anna Carolina R.T. Horliana

São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Countries

Brazil

Other Identifiers

5.598.425

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id