Sensory Adapted Dental Environments to Enhance Oral Care for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Abstract

This pilot and feasibility study examined the impact of a sensory adapted dental environment (SADE) to reduce distress, sensory discomfort, and perception of pain during oral prophylaxis for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants were 44 children ages 6-12 (n = 22 typical, n = 22 ASD). In an experimental crossover design, each participant underwent two professional dental cleanings, one in a regular dental environment (RDE) and one in a SADE, administered in a randomized and counterbalanced order 3-4 months apart. Outcomes included measures of physiological anxiety, behavioral distress, pain intensity, and sensory discomfort. Both groups exhibited decreased physiological anxiety and reported lower pain and sensory discomfort in the SADE condition compared to RDE, indicating a beneficial effect of the SADE.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02077985.

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure Statement: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Figures

Figure 1. Overview of study design

Note. RDE= Regular dental environment; SADE= Sensory adapted dental environment.

Figure 2. Study flow chart

Figure 3. “Butterfly” wrap placed on reclining dental chair with wings open

Figure 4. Skin conductance level of the first 20 minutes of dental cleanings in the regular and sensory adapted dental environments in (a) one participant with ASD, and (b) one TD participant

Note. RDE= Regular dental environment; SADE= Sensory adapted dental environment. Please note that the y-axis scale is different for the child with ASD (intervals of 2μS) and the TD child (intervals of 0.5μS).