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Aromatherapy vs Music Therapy for Anxiety in Children During Dental Radiography

Comparative Evaluation of the Effects of Aromatherapy and Music Therapy on Anxiety in Children Undergoing Oral Radiological Examination for the First Time

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07542665
Enrollment
100
Registered
2026-04-21
Start date
2026-03-05
Completion date
2026-09-01
Last updated
2026-07-20

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Dental Anxiety in Children, Pediatric Anxiety

Keywords

Aromatherapy, Music therapy, Panoramic radiography, Dental anxiety, Pediatric dentistry

Brief summary

This study aims to evaluate and compare the effects of aromatherapy and music therapy on anxiety levels in children undergoing intraoral radiographic examination for the first time. Dental anxiety is a common problem in pediatric patients and can negatively impact cooperation and treatment outcomes. Children included in the study will be randomly assigned to four groups: aromatherapy and music group, aromatherapy group, music therapy group, or control group. In the aromatherapy group, children will be exposed to a selected essential oil (lavender oil) before the radiographic procedure, while in the music therapy group, children will listen to calming music through a speaker. The group receiving both aromatherapy and music therapy will listen to music while being exposed to the essential oil. The control group will receive standard care without any additional intervention. Anxiety levels will be assessed before and after the radiographic procedure using the Facial Imaging Scale (FIS). Simultaneously, pulse rate will be measured before and after the procedure using a finger pulse oximeter. The primary aim is to determine whether aromatherapy, music therapy, or a combination of both is more effective in reducing anxiety compared to the control group. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the development of simple, non-invasive, and cost-effective methods to improve the comfort and cooperation of pediatric patients during dental radiographic procedures.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALMusic Therapy

Children were exposed to music therapy prior to panoramic radiography. Pachelbel's Canon in D major was played in the clinical environment at a comfortable volume to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety.

BEHAVIORALAromatherapy

Lavender essential oil was diffused into the clinical environment prior to panoramic radiography using an aroma diffuser to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.

OTHERRoutine Care

Children received standard clinical care without any additional intervention prior to panoramic radiography.

Sponsors

Nigde Omer Halisdemir University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Participants, care providers, and outcome assessors will be blinded to group allocation. Group assignments will be concealed throughout the study to minimize bias.

Intervention model description

Participants will be randomly assigned to four parallel groups: aromatherapy and music therapy, aromatherapy, music therapy, and a control group. Each group will receive a different intervention prior to intraoral radiographic procedures, and the results will be compared between the groups.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

1. Children requiring panoramic radiography for dental examination 2. No previous history of dental radiographic procedures 3. Ability to understand and cooperate with the procedure 4. Provision of written informed consent by parents or legal guardians

Exclusion criteria

1. Presence of hearing or olfactory impairment 2. Use of medications that may affect anxiety levels or heart rate 3. Presence of systemic or neurological disorders 4. Inability to cooperate with the study procedures 5. Refusal of the child or parent/guardian to participate

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Anxiety level assessed by Facial Image Scale (FIS)Immediately before and immediately after panoramic radiographyChildren's anxiety levels were assessed using the Facial Image Scale (FIS), a validated tool for measuring dental anxiety in pediatric patients. It consists of a series of five pictures of faces (from 1 to 5), ranging from very happy to very unhappy. The scale is scored with a score of 1 for the face with the most positive emotion and a score of 5 for the face with the most negative emotion. Scores obtained before and after the radiographic procedure were compared.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Heart rateImmediately before and immediately after panoramic radiographyHeart rate was recorded as a physiological indicator of anxiety before and after the radiographic procedure.
Presence artifacts in panoramic radiographsImmediately after panoramic radiographyPanoramic radiographs were evaluated by an experienced radiologist for the presence of artifacts affecting image quality.

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Contacts

CONTACTAycan Dal Dönertaş
aycandal@outlook.com+903882252595

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jul 21, 2026