Sensors Could Revolutionize Stress Detection in Young Dental Patients During Treatments: Study

The study utilized the Shimmer3 GSR+ device, a commercially available, CE-marked sensor, to monitor a patient's galvanic skin response (GSR). It found that the invasive dental procedure triggered a consistent GSR pattern across patients, while the non-invasive treatment showed varied GSR responses among individuals. The Shimmer3 GSR+ device effectively identified stress responses caused by the invasive anesthetic procedure.

A reliable tool is needed to detect early signs of stress in children to prevent the development of dental fear. To address this, L. Krekmanova, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, and colleagues evaluated the Shimmer3 GSR+ device, a CE-marked sensor, to determine its ability to monitor stress responses related to fear or pain during non-invasive and invasive dental treatments.

For this purpose, the researchers invited 14–16-year-old patients to participate in either a non-invasive oral check-up (NI) or an invasive orthodontic premolar extraction (I). Stress responses were monitored using the Shimmer3 GSR+ device, with electrodes and an optical pulse probe placed on the wrist and fingers. The device transmitted data via Bluetooth to an HP laptop, recording heart rate through photoplethysmography (PPG), galvanic skin response (GSR), and 3-axis gyroscope and accelerometer signals to track hand movements. Additionally, patients completed self-report measures, including the colored analogue scale for pain intensity, the facial analogue scale for mood, and a dental fear scale. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.

The investigation revealed the following findings:

• The NI group included 20 patients (14.6 ± 0.5 years) who underwent 20 oral check-ups.
• The I group included 14 patients (15.3 ± 0.5 years) who underwent 28 premolar extractions.
• All patients tolerated the Shimmer3 GSR+ unit well during the procedures.
• In the I group, GSR signals increased significantly at the start and during the oral injection, with amplitudes persisting throughout and after the dental injection.
• The NI group showed no general uniform pattern or high GSR amplitudes during the oral check-ups.

Considering the study's limitations, the authors concluded that the invasive dental procedure resulted in a consistent, unified GSR pattern, while the non-invasive procedure showed varied, individual GSR responses. They highlighted that the commercially available, CE-marked Shimmer3 GSR+ device effectively detected stress responses triggered by the invasive anesthetic procedure.

"Future interdisciplinary research is crucial to identify the best strategies for preventing acute procedural pain in young dental patients. The Shimmer3 GSR+ unit or similar wearable sensor devices could offer a promising solution," the researchers concluded.

Reference:

Jaldin, C., Jonasson, C., Fagrell, T. et al. Sensors: future tools for detecting young patient’s stress during a dental invasive versus a non-invasive dental treatment—a pilot study. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40368-024-00967-7