Assessment of the effect of combined multimedia and verbal information vs verbal information alone on anxiety levels before bond-up in adolescent orthodontic patients: a single-center randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION

Despite the high prevalence of dental anxiety in children, there is little research examining anxiety before orthodontic procedures. This parallel-group randomized controlled trial assessed whether provision of additional multimedia information regarding the bond-up procedure affected anxiety in adolescent orthodontic patients. The effects of sex, ethnicity, and age were also investigated.

METHODS

Participants were recruited from the orthodontic department of the Eastman Dental Hospital, University College London Hospitals Foundation Trust, in the United Kingdom; all were 10 to 16 years of age, with no history of orthodontic treatment, and patient assent and parental consent were obtained. The participants were randomized into control (n = 45) and intervention (n = 45) groups using a random number table. Both groups were given verbal information regarding the bond-up procedure, and the intervention group was additionally given a DVD showing a bond-up. Anxiety was assessed in the department immediately before the bond-up using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, with state anxiety as the primary outcome measure. The researchers were unaware of group allocations while enrolling patients, scoring questionnaires, and analyzing data.

RESULTS

A statistically significant difference was found between groups, with a difference in scores of 2 (95% confidence interval for the difference = 0.15 to 3.85). The median state anxiety was 32 in the control group (n = 42) and 30 in the intervention group (n = 43; P = 0.012). Sex, ethnicity, and age did not significantly affect anxiety. No harmful effects were noted.

CONCLUSIONS

Additional information reduces anxiety levels, but other methods could be more cost-effective than the DVD. Sex, ethnicity, and age did not statistically affect the anxiety levels.