DOI: 10.4103/jiaomr.jiaomr_263_25 ISSN: 0972-1363

Validation of the Emoji Faces Scale for Dental Pain Assessment in Adults: An Observational Pre–Post Study

R Priyanka, P Roland Prethipa, M Surenthar
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Background:

Accurate pain assessment is essential for effective dental care. Traditional tools like the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Color Analog Scale (CAS) may be limited in patients with language, literacy, or cognitive barriers. Emojis, as universally recognized symbols, offer a promising alternative.

Objective:

To validate the Emoji Faces Scale (EFS) for assessing dental pain in adults by comparing it with established scales (NRS and CAS) before and after treatment.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 adult patients undergoing various dental treatments. Pain intensity was recorded pre- and post-procedure using EFS, NRS, and CAS. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t -tests, and Pearson correlation coefficients [Statistical Package for the Social Sciences v26.0].

Results:

All three scales showed a significant reduction in post-treatment pain scores [ P < 0.001]. EFS strongly correlated with NRS [ r = 0.827 pre-treatment; r = 0.926 post-treatment] and moderately with CAS [ r = 0.627 pre-treatment; r = 0.570 post-treatment]. Female participants reported significantly higher pre-treatment scores on EFS and CAS.

Conclusion:

EFS demonstrates strong agreement with traditional pain scales and can serve as a reliable, easy-to-use alternative for dental pain assessment, especially in diverse patient populations.

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