Breaking barriers: immersive virtual reality for dental treatment in autism spectrum children

Excerpt

Dental anxiety often stems from past experiences and can be particularly challenging for autistic children. Autism is a spectrum condition, i.e., it can affect individuals in different ways. It is a developmental condition caused by differences in the brain, affecting how a person processes information. Minor disruptions to routines or new sensations in unfamiliar or unpredictable social situations can overwhelm autistic children and deteriorate their social performance expectations. Clinical and experimental data show that autistic children are sensitive to familiarity. Therefore, slowly familiarizing autistic children with the dental office may help alleviate or prevent stress reactions completely. …