Clinical Trial

A Comparative Clinical Study Evaluating Efficacy, Patient-Reported Pain Perception and Anxiety of Local Anaesthesia Delivery in Dentistry - Dental-IONIC (D-IONIC) vs Conventional Needle-and-Syringe Injection

Dental-IONIC (D-IONIC) is a novel needle-free local anaesthesia delivery platform that combines conductive microneedles and iontophoresis to improve patient comfort during dental treatment. A randomised controlled crossover clinical study involving 23 healthy volunteers evaluated patient-reported pain, anxiety, and mucosal tolerability compared with conventional needle-and-syringe local anaesthesia. The study demonstrated excellent tolerability, with no participants reporting pain during microneedle application. During iontophoresis, most participants experienced only mild sensations such as tingling or warmth, with 80% rating the experience as comfortable or slightly intense. More than two-thirds of participants preferred D-IONIC over conventional injection techniques. The findings highlight the potential of D-IONIC to reduce needle-related anxiety, improve patient experience, and enhance acceptance of dental treatment through a minimally invasive, needle-free approach. Building on these promising pilot findings, the team is currently planning a follow-up clinical study to evaluate the anaesthetic efficacy of D-IONIC for dental procedures. This next phase will assess the platform's ability to achieve clinically effective local anaesthesia and further support its translation as a needle-free alternative to conventional dental injections.

We are seeking collaborators for: