Can Magnification Loupes Make the Bracket Bonding Procedure Faster and More Comfortable?

March 11, 2026 updated by: Damascus University

A Split-mouth Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Loupes-assisted Versus Conventional Bonding of Brackets in Terms of Discomfort and Bonding Duration in Crowded Dental Arches.

This study aims to evaluate whether using 3.5x dental magnification loupes improves the speed and patient comfort of the orthodontic bracket placement procedure in patients with crowded dentition, a condition that can make the process more challenging and potentially uncomfortable. We will directly compare the conventional method (unaided vision), which is employed by most orthodontists, with an alternative approach in which the clinician performs bonding while wearing magnification loupes. These loupes provide a clearer and more detailed view of the teeth during the procedure.

Both methods will be applied to the same patient using a split-mouth study design. Our primary goal is to determine which method is faster to perform and which one results in less discomfort for the patient during the appointment.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Magnification loupes have become widely used in dental practice, demonstrating superior performance over unaided vision in many specialties such as restorative dentistry, endodontics, and periodontics, primarily by enhancing the operator's precision, ergonomics, and visual acuity. In orthodontics, loupes have also been shown to improve the quality of bracket debonding.

However, the specific role of magnification loupes in potentially modulating the patient's sensory experience immediately after the bonding procedure remains entirely unexplored. It is unknown whether the improved visualization afforded by magnification translates into a more or less comfortable patient experience during bracket placement. The presence of an advanced tool such as loupes may elevate patient expectations, potentially influencing their reported comfort.

Moreover, understanding the patient's immediate comfort is clinically meaningful, as a positive early experience may enhance overall treatment acceptance and cooperation.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

60

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

  • Syria
    • Rif-dimashq Governorate
      • Damascus, Rif-dimashq Governorate, Syria, DM20AM19
        • Orthodontics Department, Faculty of Dentistry

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

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • adults aged 18-28 years
  • presence of all permanent teeth,
  • the presence of dental crowding,
  • sound, intact enamel surfaces on teeth to be bonded,
  • good oral hygiene, defined as a Plaque Index ≤ 1

Exclusion Criteria:

  • the presence of amelogenesis imperfecta, enamel hypoplasia, or white spots affecting the buccal surfaces,
  • severe or active periodontal disease,
  • congenitally missing teeth,
  • prosthetic restorations on the buccal surfaces of teeth to be bonded,
  • previous orthodontic re-treatment,
  • poor oral hygiene (Plaque Index > 1)

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: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Loupes-assisted bonding
A total of 600 brackets (120 quadrants from 60 patients) will be bonded using 3.5× magnification loupes
Procedure: Loupes-based bonding
Bonding will be done with improved vision with loupes.
Active Comparator: Unaided-vision bonding
A total of 600 brackets (120 quadrants from 60 patients) will be bonded with the naked eye, without visual aids
Procedure: Traditional bonding
The orthodontist will bond the brackets using the naked-eye method.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Patient-reported discomfort
Time Frame: At 5 minutes after bonding the brackets.
Each quadrant will be assessed using a 100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Immediately after the bonding procedure for each quadrant, patients will be asked to mark their perceived discomfort level on a horizontal line ranging from 0 mm ("no discomfort") to 100 mm ("worst imaginable discomfort"). The exact distance from the 0 mm point to the patient's mark will be measured in millimeters, providing an accurate discomfort score for each quadrant.
At 5 minutes after bonding the brackets.
Total bonding time
Time Frame: This variable is going to be measured once from the beginning of the bonding procedure till the end.
Total bonding time per quadrant will be recorded using the stopwatch function of the Clock application on an iPhone, with time measured in minutes, seconds, and sub-seconds. Recording will start with the initiation of enamel etching and will conclude exactly at the completion of the final light-curing of brackets in each quadrant, representing the total operative time per quadrant.
This variable is going to be measured once from the beginning of the bonding procedure till the end.

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Damascus University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Mai M Faour, DDS, Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Damascus

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)

August 23, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 15, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

September 15, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 11, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 11, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

March 16, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 16, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 11, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • UDDS-2026-Ortho-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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.

Clinical Trials on Malocclusion; Displaced Teeth

Clinical Trials on Loupes-based bonding

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Vietnam

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe