Aromatherapy vs Music Therapy for Anxiety in Children During Dental Radiography

NCT07542665 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: NigdeOHU-AromatherapyMusic
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

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.

Conditions

Dental Anxiety in Children; Pediatric Anxiety

Keywords

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

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Anxiety level assessed by Facial Image Scale (FIS)

  Children'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.

  Immediately before and immediately after panoramic radiography

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Heart rate

  Immediately before and immediately after panoramic radiography

• Presence artifacts in panoramic radiographs

  Immediately after panoramic radiography

Study Arms (4)

Music Therapy (MG)

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Music Therapy

Aromatherapy (AG)

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Aromatherapy

Music Therapy + Aromatherapy (MAG)

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Music Therapy; Behavioral: Aromatherapy

Control Group (CG)

OTHER

Other: Routine Care

Interventions

Music Therapy BEHAVIORAL

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.

Music Therapy (MG); Music Therapy + Aromatherapy (MAG)

Aromatherapy BEHAVIORAL

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

Aromatherapy (AG); Music Therapy + Aromatherapy (MAG)

Routine Care OTHER

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

Control Group (CG)

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

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

You may not qualify if:

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

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Nigde Omer Halisdemir University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University Faculty of Dentistry

Niğde, 51100, Turkey (Türkiye)

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Music Therapy; Aromatherapy

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Sensory Art Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Patient Care; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Mind-Body Therapies; Phytotherapy

Central Study Contacts

Aycan Dal Dönertaş

CONTACT

+903882252595; aycandal@outlook.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Participants, care providers, and outcome assessors will be blinded to group allocation. Group assignments will be concealed throughout the study to minimize bias.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: 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.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 14, 2026
• First Posted: April 21, 2026
• Study Start: March 5, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Last Updated: April 24, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Locations

TU (1)