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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07819123

Effects of Virtual Reality Content on Anxiety During Third Molar Surgery

This randomized controlled study evaluated whether the content of an immersive virtual reality environment influenced anxiety in adults undergoing surgical removal of an impacted mandibular third molar. A total of 75 patients aged 18-40 years with elevated dental anxiety were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to a nature-based virtual reality group, an art-gallery virtual reality group, or a control group receiving conventional care without virtual reality.

Participants in the two virtual reality groups wore the same headset and headphones and viewed standardized 360-degree content from the beginning of surgery until completion of the procedure. Anxiety was assessed using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State subscale, and an 11-point numerical anxiety rating scale. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and peripheral oxygen saturation were also recorded. Measurements were obtained before local anesthesia, after local anesthesia but before surgery and virtual reality exposure, and immediately after wound closure, as applicable. The study compared changes in anxiety and physiological measures among the three groups and examined whether nature-based and art-gallery virtual reality content produced different responses.

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Key information

Conditions

Dental Anxiety Impacted Mandibular Third Molar

Age range

18 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Faculty of Dentistry

Rize, Rize Province, 53020, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age between 18 and 40 years
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I
  • Presence of an impacted mandibular third molar for which surgical removal was indicated
  • Pell and Gregory Class II, position B impaction
  • Vertical or mesioangular impaction according to Winter's classification
  • Preoperative Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) score of 11 or higher
  • Ability to understand the study procedures and complete the questionnaires
  • Provision of written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

  • A systemic or psychiatric condition considered likely to influence anxiety responses
  • Regular use of medication that could alter anxiety or autonomic responses
  • Use of antipsychotic or anxiolytic medication
  • Smoking 10 or more cigarettes per day
  • Previous surgical removal of an impacted tooth
  • Acute infection in the operative region
  • Pregnancy
  • Severe visual or hearing impairment that could prevent adequate virtual reality exposure
  • Inability to tolerate or correctly use the virtual reality headset
  • Surgical duration exceeding 30 minutes
  • Withdrawal of consent at any stage of the study

Treatment and study plan

Nature-based virtual reality

Behavioral

Participants viewed standardized investigator-developed nature-based 360-degree immersive content using a virtual reality headset and headphones. The intervention began at the start of surgery and continued until completion of the procedure. Exposure duration was determined by surgical duration and did not exceed 30 minutes.

Art-Gallery Virtual Reality

Behavioral

Participants viewed standardized investigator-developed art-gallery 360-degree immersive content using the same virtual reality headset, headphones, audiovisual settings, and exposure period as the nature-based virtual reality group. The intervention began at the start of surgery and continued until completion of the procedure. Exposure duration was determined by surgical duration and did not exceed 30 minutes.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Modified Dental Anxiety Scale Score

    Time frame: From before local anesthesia (T0) to immediately after wound closure and completion of the procedure (T2), during a single surgical visit

    Dental anxiety was assessed using the five-item Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). Each item is scored from 1 to 5, producing a total score ranging from 5 to 25, with higher scores indicating greater dental anxiety. The outcome was the change in total MDAS score from T0 to T2, calculated as the T2 score minus the T0 score.

  2. Change in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State Subscale Score

    Time frame: From before local anesthesia (T0) to immediately after wound closure and completion of the procedure (T2), during a single surgical visit

    State anxiety was assessed using the 20-item State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State subscale (STAI-S). Each item is scored from 1 to 4, producing a total score ranging from 20 to 80, with higher scores indicating greater state anxiety. The outcome was the change in total STAI-S score from T0 to T2, calculated as the T2 score minus the T0 score.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Anxiety Visual Analog Scale Score

    Time frame: At three time points during a single surgical visit: before local anesthesia (T0), after local anesthesia but before surgery and virtual reality exposure (T1), and immediately after wound closure and completion of the procedure (T2)

    Momentary anxiety was assessed using the study-designated Anxiety Visual Analog Scale (VAS-A), administered as an 11-point whole-number response scale ranging from 0 to 10. A score of 0 indicated no anxiety, whereas a score of 10 indicated the highest perceived anxiety. Changes in VAS-A scores across T0, T1, and T2 were compared among the study groups.

  2. Change in Systolic Blood Pressure

    Time frame: At three time points during a single surgical visit: before local anesthesia (T0), after local anesthesia but before surgery and virtual reality exposure (T1), and immediately after wound closure and completion of the procedure (T2)

    Systolic blood pressure was measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) using the same automated monitoring device during a standardized five-minute assessment period at each time point. Changes in systolic blood pressure across T0, T1, and T2 were compared among the study groups.

  3. Change in Diastolic Blood Pressure

    Time frame: At three time points during a single surgical visit: before local anesthesia (T0), after local anesthesia but before surgery and virtual reality exposure (T1), and immediately after wound closure and completion of the procedure (T2)

    Diastolic blood pressure was measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) using the same automated monitoring device during a standardized five-minute assessment period at each time point. Changes in diastolic blood pressure across T0, T1, and T2 were compared among the study groups.

  4. Change in Heart Rate

    Time frame: At three time points during a single surgical visit: before local anesthesia (T0), after local anesthesia but before surgery and virtual reality exposure (T1), and immediately after wound closure and completion of the procedure (T2)

    Heart rate was measured in beats per minute (bpm) using the same automated monitoring device during a standardized five-minute assessment period at each time point. Changes in heart rate across T0, T1, and T2 were compared among the study groups.

  5. Change in Peripheral Oxygen Saturation

    Time frame: At three time points during a single surgical visit: before local anesthesia (T0), after local anesthesia but before surgery and virtual reality exposure (T1), and immediately after wound closure and completion of the procedure (T2)

    Peripheral oxygen saturation was measured as a percentage (SpO2) using the same monitoring device during a standardized five-minute assessment period at each time point. Changes in peripheral oxygen saturation across T0, T1, and T2 were compared among the study groups.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Recep Tayyip Erdogan University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

A Comparative Evaluation of the Effects of Different Virtual Reality (VR) Content on Patient Anxiety During Impacted Mandibular Third Molar Surgery

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Sep 14, 2026
Registry last updated
Sep 16, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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