The patient’s side: Willingness-To-Pay index for computerized-anesthesia

Aim Best protocols and techniques for improving dental anesthesia need to be elucidated. The objectives of this study were to evaluate, through a visual analog scale (VAS), pain levels and discomfort produced by a computer-controlled local anesthesia delivery and evaluate the willingness to pay (WTP) values of a patients' population interested in this technology. Materials and methods A group of 50 adult patients undergoing dental restorative procedures, and previously treated with a conventional anesthesia infiltration technique, were recruited for this study. For all subjects a computerized injection technique (The Wand ® STA; Milestone Scientific Inc.) was used before starting clinical treatments by the same investigator. The sensation of pain during injection was scored by VAS scale; WTP data were collected through an individually delivered questionnaire. VAS and WTP values, associations with socio-demographic parameters (Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests) and potential correlations between variables (chi-square test in contingency tables) were revealed by statistical analysis. Results Minimal discomfort was reported using the tested device (overall VAS mean value: 1.6 ± 2.2). A trend towards higher VAS levels was found in the lower arch (1.8 ± 2.5) with respect to the upper arch (1.3 ± 1.8) (p=0,4); 58% of the subjects were willing to pay an additional fee to receive a minimally-invasive anesthesia (median WTP value of 20€); patients who strictly followed recall programs (every 3 months) allocated superior amounts of money to the selected technique for pain control. Conclusion Considering the previous experiences of the population treated with conventional local anesthesia, the computer-based device tested demonstrated low pain ratings during injection procedures. More than half of the patients were willing to pay an additional fee to receive local anesthesia using a computer-controlled device.