Laser Therapy for Dentin Hypersensitivity

February 19, 2026 updated by: Ezgi Yesim Aybek Firat, Hacettepe University

Clinical Evaluation of Laser Therapy for Dentin Hypersensitivity

A 12-Month Comparative Clinical Evaluation of the Efficacy of Er,Cr:YSGG Laser Irradiation, Remin Pro Application, and Their Combined Therapy in the Treatment of Dentin Hypersensitivity.

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trial is designed to evaluate the comparative efficacy of Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation, a desensitizing paste containing calcium sodium phosphosilicate, and their combined application in the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity. The study is conducted at the Department of Restorative Dentistry, Hacettepe University Faculty of Dentistry, involving 25 participants diagnosed with dentin hypersensitivity, from whom a minimum of three teeth meeting the inclusion criteria are selected. Prior to the commencement of the study, all participants provide written informed consent and undergo a standardization phase to control for confounding variables; this includes instruction on a specific atraumatic brushing technique and the exclusive use of a standard non-desensitizing fluoride toothpaste throughout the study duration. Following this phase, the selected teeth are randomly allocated to one of three treatment arms using a simple randomization method, while the investigator responsible for outcome assessment remains blinded to the group assignments to ensure the objectivity of the results. In the first intervention group, the tooth surfaces are cleaned with pumice and a rubber cup, rinsed, and dried, after which Remin Pro paste is applied to the sensitive cervical region using a micro-brush for 30 seconds in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. The second intervention group receives Er,Cr:YSGG laser treatment (WaterLase iPlus) applied to the sensitive area; the laser parameters are set at a power output of 0.25 W, a frequency of 20 Hz, and an energy density of 50 mJ in a non-contact mode, with the tip held perpendicular to the surface at a distance of 1 mm and scanned over the target area for 60 seconds under water cooling. The third group undergoes a combined therapy protocol wherein the Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation is performed using the aforementioned parameters, immediately followed by the topical application of Remin Pro paste as described for the first group. All therapeutic interventions are administered in a single session, and no additional desensitizing treatments are applied during the subsequent 12-month observation period. Clinical efficacy is assessed at baseline, immediately post-treatment, and at follow-up intervals of 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months using two primary outcome measures: the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for subjective pain assessment following a 1-second air blast stimulus, and the Schiff Cold Air Sensitivity Scale for objective evaluation of the reaction to an evaporative stimulus. Additionally, the impact of dentin hypersensitivity on the participants' oral health-related quality of life is evaluated using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire administered at baseline and at the conclusion of the 12-month follow-up.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

25

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria: Being between 18 and 70 years of age; voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study and providing written informed consent; not receiving any analgesic therapy; not having any systemic disease that could interfere with the treatment outcomes; not being pregnant or breastfeeding; presenting with at least four teeth exhibiting a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score of 4 or higher; not exhibiting cervical abrasion-related substance loss of sufficient depth to require restorative treatment; absence of extensive or defective restorations or caries in the sensitive teeth; absence of pulpitis; and absence of hypersensitivity associated with recent periodontal procedures.

Exclusion Criteria: Being younger than 18 years or older than 70 years of age; unwillingness to participate in the study voluntarily; receiving any analgesic therapy; presence of a systemic disease that could interfere with the treatment outcomes; being pregnant or breastfeeding; presence of substance loss of sufficient depth to require restorative treatment or the presence of enamel fracture; presence of extensive or defective restorations or caries in the sensitive teeth; presence of pulpitis; having received periodontal treatment within the three months prior to the initiation of the study and exhibiting persistent hypersensitivity related to that treatment; and developing a need for periodontal treatment (e.g., scaling or root planing) during the study period.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Er,Cr;YSGG Laser
The Er,Cr:YSGG laser (WaterLase iPlus) operates at 2780 nm, targeting water and hydroxyapatite for minimally invasive treatment. It reduces dentin hypersensitivity through coagulation, recrystallization, and bio-stimulation, while minimizing thermal damage and micro-cracks compared to conventional tools. This study evaluates the long-term individual and synergistic efficacy of this laser protocol combined with remineralizing agents to address gaps in the current literature regarding combined treatment modalities.
Device: Er,Cr;YSGG Laser, Waterlase, Biolase Technology Inc., Irvine, CA, ABD
Er,Cr;YSGG Laser
Experimental: Remin Pro, a hydroxyapatite-containing remineralizing agent
Remin Pro (VOCO, Cuxhaven, Germany) is a desensitizing paste composed of hydroxyapatite, sodium fluoride, and xylitol. Its therapeutic mechanism is primarily attributed to the physical occlusion of patent dentinal tubules by hydroxyapatite. Additionally, sodium fluoride facilitates remineralization and enhances acid resistance, whereas xylitol contributes to the reduction of plaque formation through its antimicrobial properties. This combination is applied to provide both symptomatic relief and surface protection for hypersensitive dentin.
Device: Remin Pro (VOCO, Cuxhaven, Germany)
a hydroxyapatite-containing remineralizing agent
Experimental: Combined Therapy: Er,Cr:YSGG Laser + Remin Pro
Subjects in this arm receive a sequential combined treatment protocol. First, the hypersensitive dentin surface is irradiated with the Er,Cr:YSGG laser (WaterLase iPlus) using the parameters defined in the laser-only group (0.25 W, 20 Hz, 50 mJ, non-contact mode). Immediately following the laser application, Remin Pro paste is applied to the target area using a micro-brush for 30 seconds. This approach is designed to utilize the synergistic effects of laser-induced surface modification and the tubule-occluding properties of the remineralizing agent.
Device: Er,Cr;YSGG Laser, Waterlase, Biolase Technology Inc., Irvine, CA, ABD
Er,Cr;YSGG Laser
Device: Remin Pro (VOCO, Cuxhaven, Germany)
a hydroxyapatite-containing remineralizing agent

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Visual Analog Scale
Time Frame: From baseline to 12 month
Subjective pain perception is evaluated using a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranging from '0 = No pain' to '10 = Worst pain imaginable.' Participants mark their perceived pain intensity on the scale following a 1-second air blast stimulus to the cervical area. The score is measured in millimeters from the zero anchor, with higher values indicating greater pain severity.
From baseline to 12 month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Schiff Cold Air Sensitivity Scale
Time Frame: From baseline to 12 month
Objective sensitivity is evaluated using the Schiff Cold Air Sensitivity Scale (0-3), based on the subject's reaction to an air stimulus. Scores are defined as: 0 (no response), 1 (response without requesting discontinuation), 2 (request to discontinue), and 3 (pain with evasive movement). Higher scores indicate greater dentin hypersensitivity.
From baseline to 12 month

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Hacettepe University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ayşe Rüya Yazıcı, Prof., Hacettepe University
  • Principal Investigator: Ezgi Yeşim Aybek Fırat, Hacettepe University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

November 11, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

November 18, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 11, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 19, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 19, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

February 25, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

February 25, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 19, 2026

Last Verified

February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • E-61749811-000-4041535

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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