TY - JOUR ID - TI - Children’s preference of dental injectors and its influenceon child cooperation AU - Muna S. Khalaf PY - 2011 VL - 23 IS - 1 SP - 131 EP - 135 JO - Journal of baghdad college of dentistry مجلة كلية طب الاسنان بغداد SN - 18171869 23115270 AB - ABSTRACT
Background: Behavior management approaches in treating children are generally viewed as time demanding
activities that put dentists away from their most important function. Patients, particularly children, consider local
dental anesthesia to be a difficult and painful experience and a dentist who treats children should have a variety of
behavior guidance approaches. The aim of this study was to examine the preference of children concerning the
physical appearance of dental injectors. It also aimed at assessing the influence of the type of injector preferred on
the cooperation of the child during local anesthesia administration.
Materials and method: The study group consisted of 67 children between the ages of 4 and 11. The children were
divided into two groups. Group 1 were shown a plastic injector without stickers applied on the barrel and a metal
type injector. Group 2 were shown a plastic injector with stickers applied on the barrel and a metal type injector. The
children were asked which type they preferred to be used to give them local anesthesia. The reaction of the child
was observed and rated with code from 1 to 4 on Frankl scale adapted for local anesthesia.
Results: Among group 1 34.5% preferred the plastic injector while 65.5% preferred the conventional metal injector.
Among group 2 78.9% preferred the plastic injector while 21.1% preferred the conventional metal injector. The
cooperation of children of group 1 who received local anesthesia by the plastic syringe, mostly code 3 and 4 (70%)
while the positive cooperation of those who received anesthesia by the metal syringe was 58%. In group 2 the plastic
injector was more preferred and children who showed cooperation of code 3 and 4 during the procedure of local
anesthesia administration formed 73.3% of the group. Children who chose the metal injector showed cooperation
mostly of code 1 (37.5%).
Conclusion: The physical appearance of the dental injector is important to children and clearly effected
cooperation of the child during local anesthesia administration.
Key words: dental injectors, physical appearance, cooperation, children. (J Bagh Coll Dentistry 2011;23(1):131-135).

ER -