Effectiveness of music therapy in third molar extraction: Randomized clinical trial split mouth

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy in controlling anxiety and physiological stress in patients undergoing upper third molar extractions.

Material and Methods: A pilot randomized clinical trial with a split-mouth, triple-blind design was conducted with ten patients (n=10) who underwent extractions of teeth 18 and 28. Each participant underwent two surgeries, one with music (experimental group) and one without music (control group). Vital signs—systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation—were monitored at six surgical stages. Questionnaires assessing anxiety, musical preferences, and perceived comfort were also applied.

Results: The experimental group showed lower diastolic blood pressure at the preoperative stage (77.9 ± 6.9 vs. 82.4 ± 8.3 mmHg; p=0.033) and reduced heart rate both preoperatively (86.0 ± 18.0 vs. 90.9 ± 17.0 bpm; p=0.007) and at suturing (83.4 ± 13.0 vs. 93.0 ± 14.6 bpm; p=0.004). Self-reported comfort was significantly higher in surgeries with music (8.7 ± 0.7) compared to those without music (6.2 ± 0.9; p<0.001). All participants preferred the experience with music, emphasizing its role as a positive distraction.

Conclusion: Music therapy proved effective in reducing physiological stress parameters and enhancing patient comfort during third molar extractions. It emerges as a promising adjunctive intervention in dentistry. Larger multicenter trials are required to confirm and extend these findings.

Keywords: Music therapy; Dentistry; Tooth Extraction; Oral Surgery; Third Molar.