AI-Based Immersive Virtual Environment as a Behavioral Conditioning Tool in Pediatric Oral Rehabilitation: A Case Report
Description
Background: Behavioral management remains a major challenge in pediatric dentistry, particularly in patients with early childhood caries and severe dental anxiety. While virtual reality has been explored as a distraction tool, its integration as part of a structured behavioral conditioning protocol supported by artificial intelligence (AI)-based immersive environments remains limited. Case Presentation: A 5-year-old female patient with early childhood caries and negative behavior (Frankl I) presented with multiple carious lesions requiring comprehensive oral rehabilitation, including pulpectomies. The patient exhibited persistent crying, treatment refusal, and a history of negative dental experiences. Intervention: A structured non-pharmacological behavioral management protocol was implemented, including gradual desensitization, tell-show-do, positive reinforcement, and modeling techniques. This approach was complemented by an AI-supported immersive virtual environment developed using FrameVR, enabling experiential reconstruction of the dental process and controlled exposure to anxiety-triggering stimuli. Results: The patient demonstrated a progressive behavioral improvement, transitioning from Frankl I to cooperative behavior. This allowed the successful completion of multiple pulpectomies and restorative procedures without pharmacological intervention. The immersive environment enhanced emotional regulation, reduced anticipatory anxiety, and improved understanding of clinical procedures. Conclusion: The integration of AI-based immersive virtual environments as an adjunct to behavioral conditioning may represent an effective strategy to improve cooperation and reduce anxiety in pediatric dental patients. This approach has the potential to shift behavioral management from passive distraction to active cognitive-emotional conditioning. This approach may represent a clinically applicable strategy to improve cooperation and reduce anxiety in pediatric dental patients
Files
Type of the Paper LI.pdf
Files
(819.9 kB)
| Name | Size | Download all |
|---|---|---|
|
md5:83868814eebd7c52cd3600f9d7302ac9
|
819.9 kB | Preview Download |
Additional details
References
- 1. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Use of anesthesia personnel in the administration of of-fice-based deep sedation/general anesthesia. Pediatr Dent. 2024;46(6):420-430. 2. Tinanoff, N.; Baez, RJ.; Diaz Guillory, C. Early childhood caries: epidemiology, etiology, risk as-sessment, and management. Pediatr Dent. 2019;41(3):238-248. 3. Cianetti, S.; Lombardo, G.; Lupatelli, E. Dental fear/anxiety among children and adolescents: a sys-tematic review. Eur J Paediatr Dent. 2017;18(2):121-130. 4. Rojas-García, AR.; Ruiz-Rodríguez, MS.; Pozos-Guillén, AJ. Management of dental anxiety in a pe-diatric patient using tell-show-do technique: a case report. Case Rep Dent. 2022;2022:1357894. 5. Coll, JA.; Vargas, K.; Marghalani, AA. Primary tooth vital pulp therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatr Dent. 2017;39(1):16-123. 6. Saghiri, MA.; Asatourian, A.; Sorenson, CM.; Sheibani, N. Direct pulp capping of a primary molar using mineral trioxide aggregate: a case report. Clin Case Rep. 2020;8(11):2336–2340. 7. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Pulp therapy for primary and immature permanent teeth. Pediatr Dent. 2024;46(6):384-402. 8. Joshi, A.; Saxena, N.; Marwah, N.; Singh, V.; Singh, M. Dental management of a 3-year-old unco-operative child under general anaesthesia: a case report. Int J Contemp Pediatr. 2023;10(5):e5688. 9. Cianetti, S.; Lombardo, G.; Lupatelli, E.; Pagano, S.; Abraha, I.; Montedori, A. Dental treatment in a child with autism spectrum disorder and severe anxiety: a case report. Case Rep Dent. 2021;2021:8879123. 10. World Health Organization. Global oral health status report: towards universal health coverage for oral health by 2030. Geneva: WHO; 2022. 11. American Dental Association. Caries risk assessment and management guidelines. J Am Dent Assoc. 2023;154(5):412-420. 12. Ramos-Jorge, ML.; Pordeus, IA.; Paiva, SM. Impact of untreated dental caries on quality of life of preschool children. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2019;29(3):275-283. 13. Elango, I.; Baweja, DK.; Shivaprakash, PK. Parent and child dental anxiety: current perspectives. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2021;39(2):95-102. 14. Al-Halabi, M.; Hussein, I.; Salami, A.; Abdel Rahman, S. Behavior management of a pediatric dental patient using audiovisual distraction: a case report. Case Rep Dent. 2020;2020:8854212. 15. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Behavior guidance for the pediatric dental patient. Pediatr Dent. 2024;46(6):310-335. 16. Custódio, NB.; Costa, FDS.; Cademartori, MG.; Goettems, ML. Effectiveness of virtual reality glasses as a distraction tool in reducing pain and anxiety during dental treatment in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2023;33(5):520-532.