Terapias alternativas para el manejo conductual en niños durante la consulta odontológica

Abstract

Background: In the dental practice, the management of children's behavior is key to reduce anxiety and improve cooperation. Techniques and methods are used, which help to redirect the child's attention towards positive stimuli. Objective. To describe alternative therapies for behavioral management in children during the dental consultation. Materials and methods. A literature review was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, SciELO and Scopus databases, from 2019 to 2024 using MeSH and DeCS terms related to behavioral management during dental visits were applied. Studies evaluating alternative techniques and methods for managing children's behavior in dental settings were included, as well as full-text articles in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Articles not related to dentistry and those that did not address alternative techniques were excluded. Articles were selected after reviewing titles and abstracts according to the established criteria. A total of 59 articles were reviewed, of which only 11 met the inclusion criteria. Conclusion. Conclusion. Alternative therapies, such as aromatherapy, musictherapy, animal-assisted therapy, virtual reality, hypnosis, mindfulness, Lamaze method, have proven effective in reducing anxiety and managing children's behavior during dental consultations. Although there is no universally superior method, the combination of personalized techniques has shown to be more effective. The creativity of the dentist or pediatric dentist is essential for adapting these strategies to the individual needs of each child.