Effect of Music on Dental Anxiety and Physiological Responses During Dental Drill and Suction Sounds

NCT07827118 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: MUSIC-DENT-2026
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 37
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Dental anxiety is common and may be triggered or increased by sounds associated with dental treatment, particularly the sound of a dental drill and suction device. Anxiety during dental care may be associated with changes in physiological responses such as heart rate and blood pressure. This randomized controlled clinical trial will investigate whether listening to music can reduce dental anxiety and physiological responses when participants are exposed to dental drill and suction sounds. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a music group or a control group. Participants in the music group will listen to selected music during exposure to the dental sounds, while participants in the control group will undergo the same sound exposure without music. Dental anxiety will be assessed using a validated anxiety assessment tool, and physiological responses will be measured before, during, and/or after exposure to the dental sounds. The study will compare changes in anxiety and physiological measures between the music and control groups. The findings may help determine whether music is a simple, non-invasive approach for reducing anxiety and physiological responses associated with dental sounds and may contribute to improved comfort during dental care.

Conditions

Dental Anxiety; Music Intervention

Keywords

Dental Anxiety; Music; Dental Drill Sound; Dental Suction Sound; Physiological Responses

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Dental Anxiety Score

  Dental anxiety will be assessed using the prespecified validated dental anxiety assessment scale. The primary outcome will be the change in anxiety score from baseline to immediately after exposure to standardized dental drill and suction sounds, comparing the music intervention group with the no-music control group. Higher scores indicate greater dental anxiety.

  From baseline to immediately after completion of sound exposure

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Change in Heart Rate During Dental Sound Exposure

  From baseline to immediately after completion of sound exposure

• Change in Blood Pressure During Dental Sound Exposure

  From baseline to immediately after completion of sound exposure

Study Arms (2)

Music intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants are exposed to standardized dental drill and suction sounds while listening to music.

Behavioral: Music intervention

No music control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants randomized to the control arm will be exposed to the same standardized dental drill and suction sounds for the same specified duration without concurrent music. Dental anxiety and physiological responses will be assessed at the same prespecified time points as in the intervention arm.

Interventions

Music intervention BEHAVIORAL

Participants assigned to the intervention arm will listen to standardized music through headphones during exposure to standardized dental drill and suction sounds. The music will be delivered at a predefined comfortable volume throughout the specified sound-exposure period. The intervention is intended to reduce dental anxiety and associated physiological responses during exposure to dental-related sounds.

Music intervention

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Adults aged 18 years or older.
• Participants able to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent.
• Participants able to hear and understand the standardized dental drill and suction sounds presented during the study.
• Participants willing to undergo exposure to standardized dental drill and suction sounds and complete the dental anxiety assessment.

You may not qualify if:

• Current use of medications that may substantially affect heart rate, blood pressure, or anxiety responses.
• Known cardiovascular disease or other medical conditions that may significantly affect physiological responses to the study procedure.
• Hearing impairment that may interfere with perception of the standardized dental sounds.
• Current use of medication or treatment for an anxiety disorder that may substantially influence the assessment of dental anxiety.
• Previous adverse reaction or intolerance to music or headphone use.
• Any condition that, in the investigator's judgment, may make participation unsafe or interfere with completion of the study procedures.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry, Pakistan: lead

Study Sites (1)

Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry

Quetta, 44000, Pakistan

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Specialist

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 14, 2026
• First Posted: September 18, 2026
• Study Start: February 3, 2026
• Primary Completion: August 3, 2026
• Study Completion: August 29, 2026
• Last Updated: September 18, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)