Music in clinical pediatric dentistry: A 75-Year scoping review

Abstract

Music has been cited as one of the methods for guiding the behaviour of a child in the dental office to ensure a successful treatment delivery. Although it is a frequently reported technique, its use as a non-pharmacological intervention lacks a definite protocol or a clinical framework based on which music therapy can be better used in paediatric dentistry. The objective of this paper was to conduct a scoping review of all published articles using music therapy in the clinical setting and thus try to establish a clinical guide that highlights the key aspects of music therapy in paediatric dentistry. The scoping review was initiated with a literature search, followed by inclusion of studies based on the population-concept-context framework (Joanna Briggs Institute), and critical appraisal of each study based on the Quality of Study Rating Form (QSRF). A total of 38 studies published in English between 1984 to 2023 met the criteria for review (mean age: 7.31 years; mean sample size: 76.8). Most studies used music as a supplement for anesthetic, analgesic and anxiolytic effect. The review outlines the type of music therapy in the paediatric dental clinic as active or passive, is administered as an audio or audiovisual distraction method, and has been most often used to modify the pain, anxiety, or behaviour of the paediatric patient. A clinical guide comprising features such as therapeutic selection of music, intensity, ambient music, auditory input equipment, volume control, familiarity, genre, and total music delivery time has been proposed.