Efficacy and Pain Perception of a Comfort-in™ for Palatal Anesthesia in Pediatric Dental Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND

Needle phobia is frequently observed in children, contributing to heightened dental anxiety, uncooperative behavior, and care avoidance. The sight or sensation of traditional anesthesia needles can provoke intense emotional responses, complicating pediatric pain management. This study assesses the Comfort-in™ needle-free jet injector as an alternative, aiming to enhance anesthetic delivery, patient comfort, and cooperation during pediatric dental procedures.

AIM: To assess the effectiveness of the Comfort-in™ system in minimizing pain during local anesthesia (LA) administration in pediatric dental procedures.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

This randomized controlled trial included 64 children aged 4-9 years undergoing tooth extractions involving buccal and palatal infiltrations. Participants were randomly assigned to receive anesthesia via either a conventional needle syringe (group I) or the Comfort-in™ jet injector (group II). Pulse rate, behavior, pain, and local anesthetic effectiveness were evaluated.

RESULTS

The difference in pulse rates during LA administration and during treatment was statistically significant between the two groups (p = 0.000 and 0.000, respectively); with a lower pulse rate seen with the jet injector group, suggesting that the child had lower anxiety with the jet injector group. Similar results were seen with other parameters such as time required, LA efficacy, Wong-Baker FACES pain rating scale, and modified behavior rating scale by Taddio et al.

CONCLUSION

Considering the limitations of the present study, the Comfort-in™ system demonstrated effectiveness as a needle-free alternative for minimizing pain and anxiety in pediatric patients, while also significantly reducing the time required for LA administration.

HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Naik SS, Kodical SR, Joshi A, et al. Efficacy and Pain Perception of a Comfort-in™ for Palatal Anesthesia in Pediatric Dental Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2026;19(2):228-233.