VR app for dental pain relief to be released

Japan: The idea of incorporating Virtual Reality (VR) into your practice has so far been restricted to digital entertainment at the waiting area. The upcoming release of XR Therapy, a digital pain relief app, aims to bring the technology into the surgery.

XR Therapy is an app from xCura that is designed to provide a comfortable experience for patients as they undergo treatment.

The app works within the ‘Kiosk’ mode of the VR headset from HTC known as VIVE Flow. Strapped to the head of a patient, the VR headset, also known as VR goggles, allows the patient to be fully immersed in the 360-degree VR space. 

XR Therapy has been used for major treatments and tests for pain and anxiety. It has been successfully adopted across healthcare applications including dentistry, medical hair removal, dialysis, and pain clinics.

The app promotes relaxation for patients undergoing treatment by guiding the length and timing of breathing through VR images and by narrating autogenic training and progressive muscle relaxation.

For several years now, HTC has focused its VR headset technology in the enterprise and business fields, as opposed to competitors such as Oculus that cater predominantly to the consumer market.

To be officially released in June, actual dental treatments using the app via VIVE Flow have been performed at the soft launch phase. According to xCura, patient feedback has been positive indicating a smooth treatment without vomiting reflex – a common issue with prolonged VR use.

XR Therapy can be used regardless of the clinical application to reduce treatment pain and anxiety, says xCura. The app is scheduled for release in Japan in June, and a global launch s expected to follow.

HTC VIVE® is a VR platform and ecosystem aimed at both businesses and consumers. The VIVE ecosystem is built around VR hardware, software and content.