Background: Dental fear and anxiety directly affect children's oral health and dentist's clinical management. The presence of dental fear and anxiety in childhood might track into adulthood causing avoidance of treatment and more prominent dental phobia.
Aim: To compare the cooperation of an anxious child after performing different behavior management techniques: Jacobson's progressive muscle relaxation, audio-visual distraction, and tell-show-do techniques.
Methods: 30 pediatric dental patients from 6 to 9 years old were randomly assigned into three groups. Each group was managed using either: Jacobson's progressive muscle relaxation technique, audiovisual distraction technique or tell-show-do technique. Facial image scale was used to assess dental anxiety of children before and after dental treatment. Modified Venham rating scale was used to assess cooperation of children during administration of local anesthesia.
Results: Before dental treatment: there was no significant difference in facial image scale values between tested groups. After dental treatment: all the performed behavior management techniques in the three groups showed reduction in dental anxiety assessed by facial image scale. After performing the behavior management techniques: There was no significant difference in modified Venham rating scale values between tested groups.
Conclusions: Jacobson's progressive muscle relaxation technique and audiovisual distraction has been found to be useful in reducing dental anxiety and increasing cooperation of children during dental visit.