Therapeutic Play and Music Therapy in Dental Anxiety

Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Training and Research Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Anxiety; Music Therapy; Behavior Management

Treatments: Behavioral: Tell-Show-Do; Behavioral: Therapeutic Play Therapy; Behavioral: Music Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07112092

2024/279

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to evaluate the effects of therapeutic play and music therapy on dental anxiety and pain levels in pediatric patients undergoing tooth extraction.

Full description

A total of 126 children aged 6-8 years who required maxillary molar extraction were randomly assigned to three groups (n=42): a control group (Tell-Show-Do), a music therapy group, and a therapeutic play group. Vital signs, including heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and body temperature, were recorded. The Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale - faces version (MCDASf) and the Facial Image Scale (FIS) were used to assess anxiety levels before and after the extraction. Following the extraction, the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPRS) was used to evaluate pain levels.

Enrollment: 126 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 6 to 8 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Aged 6-8 years
• Scored 3 (positive) or 4 (definitely positive) on the Frankl Behavior Scale
• Systemically healthy
• Had no hearing impairments or allergies
• Had an indication for extraction of any primary maxillary molars (54, 55, 64, 65)
• Whose parents provided informed consent for participation

Exclusion criteria

• Had systemic diseases or allergies
• Scored 1 (definitely negative) or 2 (negative) on the Frankl Behavior Scale
• Were undergoing psychological or psychiatric treatment
• Had physical or mental disabilities

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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126 participants in 3 patient groups

Group 1: (n=42) control (Tell-Show-Do) group

Active Comparator group

Description:

The treatment procedure and the exact steps were explained to the child verbally, after which all the tools and equipment required for the treatment were shown to the child before the extraction was performed.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Tell-Show-Do

Group 2: (n=42) tell-show-do with music therapy application group

Experimental group

Description:

The planned tooth extraction had been explained to the children using the Tell-Show-Do (TSD) technique, and each child had been asked to select a preferred song. During the procedure, the selected songs were played on a screen mounted in the dental unit. The duration of the therapy had been standardized to 10 minutes in order to relax the children's physiological and psychological state.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Music Therapy

Group 3: (n=42) tell-show-do with therapeutic play therapy application group

Experimental group

Description:

For the TSD and therapeutic play therapy groups, a play therapy-certified researcher demonstrated the procedure on a model using a plush Pink Panther toy (Youya Dental Supply Store, China) and a toy dentist set (Heroes Toys, Turkey). Children were allotted 10 minutes to roleplay the procedure, interact with the toys to facilitate emotional expression related to the procedure, and ask any questions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Therapeutic Play Therapy