None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Some dental interventions, especially the application of local anesthesia or dental extraction, often cause pain and anxiety in the patient. The anxiety produced by these procedures is one of the main obstacles for patients to visit the dentist regularly and maintain their oral health correctly. In fact, it is estimated that between 3 and 43% of patients suffer from anxiety during dental treatment. In an attempt to solve this problem, numerous studies have tried to identify different techniques to reduce anxiety during dental surgery. In this sense, aromatherapy is one of the possible non-pharmacological methods that has gained more attention in recent years. Specifically, lavender oil has been identified as having sedative properties, which helps these patients. On the other hand, the appearance of new technologies in recent years has made it possible to broaden the field of study and investigate other previously unknown techniques. Thus, recent studies claim that the use of virtual reality glasses during dental procedures seems to have a positive impact on the reduction of anxiety and pre- and postoperative pain. According to scientific evidence, both aromatherapy and virtual reality help to reduce anxiety levels in patients who need dental treatment. However, we want to compare whether both techniques are equally effective or if there is one that offers better results so that they can be used on a daily basis in dental practices.
Interventions
INTERVENTION GROUP 1 (VIRTUAL REALITY): In this study, virtual reality glasses from Shinecon® will be used, these have adjustable straps to the contour of the head to give greater comfort to the patient and allow a prolonged use of them. It also has the ability to adjust the focus and distance that optimize the quality and focus of the image. It has a protection system for the patient's sight, to guarantee their visual safety.
For its use, it is only necessary to insert a compatible smartphone
INTERVENTION GROUP 1 (VIRTUAL REALITY): In this study, virtual reality glasses from Shinecon® will be used, these have adjustable straps to the contour of the head to give greater comfort to the patient and allow a prolonged use of them. It also has the ability to adjust the focus and distance that optimize the quality and focus of the image. It has a protection system for the patient's sight, to guarantee their visual safety. For its use, it is only necessary to insert a compatible smartphone in the front part of the glasses, thus allow to see images in a 360º world where the limit is the imagination. A 3D video with relaxing images of nature will then be played, along with the relaxing sounds that accompany the 3D images, that allow the patient to disconnect as there is a continuous fusion between listening and visualizing a relaxing situation. The images that the patient will be viewing through the virtual reality goggles will be mirrored on another screen to be monitored by the main researcher. The main researcher will place the virtual reality goggles on the patient and the following procedure will be followed: In the pre-operating room, when the patient is alone, the virtual reality glasses will be delivered 15 minutes before the dental procedure under local anesthesia. After 15 minutes alone and viewing the 3D video, the patient goes to the operating room where the standard dental intervention under local anesthesia is carried out while the patient uses the virtual reality. Finally, the virtual reality goggles will be removed once the procedure is completed. INTERVENTION GROUP 2 (AROMATHERAPY): The main researcher will be in charge of placing the diffusers with lavender oil according to the following indications: In this group, while waiting in a room alone, patients will be breathing air with lavender essence for 15 minutes. For this, we will use a diffuser containing 5 drops of lavender oil diluted in 100ml of distilled water. The patient will enter the dental office after these 15 minutes, where there will be another dispenser with the same characteristics. In case the diffuser is exhausted during the intervention, it will be replaced by another of the same characteristics. Once the intervention is finished, the diffuser will be removed from the room immediately. The type and dose of local anesthesia used in both groups will be decided by the dentist depending on the procedure to be performed.
Sponsors
Raúl Romero del Rey
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
(1) patients over 18 years old, (2) patients who required only one extraction per episode, (3) patients which procedures could be performed with local anesthesia exclusively, (4) patients who agreed to participate in the study and had signed the Informed Consent.
Exclusion criteria
As for exclusion criteria, the following will be excluded: (1) patients with psychotropic medication or psychiatric treatment, (2) patients with systemic health problems, (3) patients with significant auditory pathology, (4) patients with coagulation disorders, (5) patients undergoing oncological treatment, (6) uncooperative patients, unable to understand the visual analog scale or the anxiety questionnaire, (7) patients with an active infection, (8) pregnant patients.
Outcome results
None listed