(PO134) Can Patients’ Music of Choice Lessen Dental Anxiety During Endodontic Therapy?

Abstract: Dental anxiety is a prevalent issue that can lead to the avoidance of dental care. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of patients’ music of choice on anxiety levels during endodontic procedures. We hypothesized that patients’ music choice would lessen anxiety during endodontic therapy. A sample of 27 patients was divided into two groups: 13 patients who listened to music of their choice and a control group of 14 patients who did not listen to any music. Patients that scored a 9 or above on the modified dental anxiety scale (MDAS) were eligible for the study. Anxiety levels were measured pre- and post-operatively using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory scale (STAI-S). The study utilized paired t-tests and Fisher's exact test for statistical analysis, with a significance level set at α = .05. Post-operative analysis showed marginal deviations in anxiety scores between the two groups. At baseline, the average anxiety score was 46.9 (SD: 6.9) in the control group and 46.5 (SD: 8.3) in the treatment group. After non-surgical root canal treatment, the average anxiety score was 47.5 (SD: 7.5) in the control group and 47.0 (SD: 4.6) in the treatment group. There was a minor increase in anxiety levels seen across both groups, but there was no statistical difference (p-value for paired t-test = .99).The study concludes that the patients’ choice of music does not significantly alter anxiety levels during endodontic therapy.