A comparative evaluation of neuro-acoustic music interventions for alleviating pediatric dental anxiety in children aged 4-10 years: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study design outlines a clinical trial evaluating the impact of neuroacoustic music interventions on pediatric dental anxiety during inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) administration. The process begins with baseline data collection, which includes assessing the child’s behavior and anxiety levels using the Facial Behavior Rating Scale (FBRS), the RMS Pictorial Scale (RMS-PS), and recording their pulse rate. Participants are then randomly allocated into one of five groups through the use of sealed envelopes to ensure unbiased group assignment. Following group allocation, a neuroacoustic intervention is performed in the experimental groups by playing specific sound frequencies—such as Solfeggio tones, binaural beats, or isochronic tones—through headphones for a duration of 10 minutes. After the audio intervention, the dental procedure involving the administration of the inferior alveolar nerve block is carried out. Post-procedure, the children’s anxiety and behavior are re-evaluated using the same FBRS and RMS-PS tools to determine any changes in response to the intervention. Finally, all data is tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis to assess the efficacy of the neuroacoustic approach in reducing anxiety and improving patient behavior during local anesthesia.