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Role of binaural beats in dental anxiety and pain management

Summaries 1 min 54

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Created On: 06/01/2026

Managing fear, pain, and anxiety is crucial for ascertaining a positive dental experience.

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Key take away

Binaural beats effectively lower dental anxiety and show a partial yet positive impact on dental pain management.

Background

Managing fear, pain, and anxiety is crucial for ascertaining a positive dental experience. Effective behavioral strategies—including audio-based relaxation—are becoming increasingly popular. This systematic review explored the potency of binaural beats (BB) therapy in alleviating dental pain and anxiety among both children and adults undergoing dental treatment.

Method

A comprehensive search of electronic databases was carried out, and data were independently extracted from 9 eligible clinical studies. Included trials investigated the effectiveness of BB employed during dental procedures to tackle anxiety and pain. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was applied to determine study quality. Meta-analysis was carried out via both fixed-effect and random-effect models, and heterogeneity was measured using I² statistics. The primary outcome was the reduction in dental anxiety and pain scores, assessed via the visual analog scale (VAS) or Venham’s picture test (VPT).

Result

From an initial pool of 580 retrieved articles, duplicates and studies unrelated to dentistry were eliminated. After full-text evaluation, 9 studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Most trials illustrated a high risk of selection and detection bias. Despite this, results showed a statistically significant decline in dental anxiety and pain after BB intervention. Comparisons with control groups revealed a prominent reduction in dental anxiety with BB. However, pain reduction outcomes were mixed—illustrating no clear difference versus no-intervention controls, but a significant reduction when compared with positive controls.

Conclusion

BB may serve as a beneficial nonpharmacological tool for alleviating dental anxiety and discomfort during treatment. Based on current evidence, dental professionals may consider BB therapy as a supportive approach to improve patient experience, especially for those with heightened treatment-related anxiety.