Evaluation of the effectiveness of a mobile application in the management of dental anxiety: A randomised controlled trial

• Published in: Journal of oral rehabilitation Vol. 49; no. 5; pp. 535 - 540
• Main Authors: Nalci, Gamze, Alaçam, Tayfun, Altunkaynak, Bülent
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.05.2022
• Subjects: Anxiety; Anxiety - therapy; dental anxiety; Dental Anxiety - prevention & control; dental phobia; Hormones; Humans; hydrocortisone; Hydrocortisone - analysis; Mobile Applications; Patients; Saliva - chemistry; salivary cortisol; Software; Statistics, Nonparametric; Steroids; dental phobia; salivary cortisol; hydrocortisone; dental anxiety; mobile applications
• ISSN: 0305-182X; 1365-2842
• DOI: 10.1111/joor.13311

Background The software, which was developed according to the principle of perceived control, can be installed on tablets and smartphones and used by patients to help them control their anxiety. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a specially designed mobile application developed to provide patients with a sense of anxiety control during the various stages of endodontic treatment. The patients' anxiety was assessed by measuring their salivary cortisol levels. Methods A total of 46 patients requiring endodontic treatment were recruited. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups. The experimental group used the special communication application, while the control group did not. Salivary samples were collected from all patients preoperatively, postanaesthesia, and postoperatively. The samples were analysed with an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay to measure the cortisol levels. Results A significant difference in cortisol levels was observed between the experimental and the control group (Mann–Whitney U‐test, p < .05). This difference was significant in the experimental group in each step (p < .01). No difference was found in the control group steps (p > .05). Conclusions Perceived control of anxiety using the specially designed software was effective in reducing salivary cortisol levels. Patients requiring endodontic treatment may experience high anxiety and should be managed appropriately. The provision of the smartphone application involves multiple elements that may be therapeutic. The use of communication applications developed according to the principle of perceived control for the management of anxious patients may relive anxiety in endodontic setting.