Tooth SensitivityNCT07597044
Evaluation of Sensitivity and Color Change of Different Protocols of In-office Dental Bleaching
A study testing Standard in-office tooth bleaching and Alternative in-office tooth bleaching in people with Tooth Sensitivity, run by Universidade Federal Fluminense at 1 site in Brazil.
Trial summary
Clinical randomized single-blind trial, used to measure the level of tooth sensitivity (TS) after in-office dental bleaching sessions, on volunteers using a modified visual analog scale (VAS). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Tooth Sensitivity
- What is being tested?
- Standard in-office tooth bleaching and Alternative in-office tooth bleaching
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteBrazil
- Study dates
- 1 Oct 2025to 30 Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- The selected volunteers should:
- Present Good general state of health
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Have an acceptable oral hygiene
- Present the upper and lower arches without absence of teeth of first premolar right to the left first premolar.
- Have anterior teeth with any kind of restoration.
- Be No smoker
- Have the upper right canine with color 2M2 or darker
Who cannot join
- The selected volunteers should not:
- Have medical history of diseases that can affect the results of the study
- Have made use of cigarettes in the last 30 days
- Have some important pathology in the oral cavity
- Be pregnant
- Be breastfeeding
Show all 11Show fewer
- Have moderate advanced periodontal disease;
- Have consumed drugs, alcool or any medication that can cover the results, as other types of anti-inflammatories or painkillers;
- Have used products indicated for dental sensitivity, as desensitizing toothpaste or similar product
- Present gingival recession
- Present exacerbated hypersensitivity history
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Brazil1 site
Universidade Federal Fluminense - School of Dentistry
Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, 28625-650
About this study
Clinical randomized single-blind trial, used to measure the level of tooth sensitivity (TS) after in-office dental bleaching sessions, on volunteers using a modified visual analog scale (VAS). The investigators selected for this study, 40 participants with color 2M2 or darker (Using OM1 - 5M3 Vita bleaching shade guide). The investigators performed two bleaching sessions with a 40% hydrogen peroxide gel with a 1-week interval. Participants were enrolled in two groups. In one group, the bleaching product was used according to manufacturer's instructions (40-minutes application in each section). In the other group, the bleaching product was used in two 20-minutes applications in each section.The investigators recorded the TS up to 48h with a VAS scale and the color at baseline and 30 days after bleaching with a value-oriented shade guide and a spectrophotometer. The risk and intensity of TS and the color change were compared between the two groups.
Read the detailed description
Two weeks before the bleaching procedures, selected volunteers from the city of Nova Friburgo, (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) received a dental screening and a dental prophylaxis with pumice and water in a rubber cup and signed an informed consent form.
This was a randomized, single-blind (evaluators), parallel and equivalence trial with an equal allocation rate between groups.
A total of 71 participants were examined in a dental chair to check if they met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 40 participants were included in this study. The participants were randomly divided in the 40-minutes or 2x20-minutes groups.
During the in-office sessions, participants had the gingival tissue isolated of the teeth using a light-cured resin dam (Opal Dam, Ultradent Products International, Salt Lake, Utah, USA). After that, the 40% hydrogen peroxide gel (Opalescence Boost, Ultradent) was applied in one 40-min application according to the manufacturer's directions in all upper and lower incisors, canines and premolars, or was applied in the same teeth, but during 2 x 20-min applications, with no interval between them. After 20 minutes, the bleaching gel was removed with water spray before the second 20 minutes application. After 7 days this procedure was repeated using the same protocols.
Color evaluation was performed before and 30 days after the end of the bleaching treatment using a subjective (value oriented shade guide Vita Lumin, Vita Zahnfabrik, Bad Sackingen, Germany) and an objective method (Easyshade spectrophotometer, Vident, Brea, CA, USA). Color evaluation was done in a room under artificial lightning conditions without interference from outside light.
For the subjective examination, the shadeguide's 16 tabs were arranged from highest (B1) to lowest (C4) value. Changes in the scale were treated as representing a continuous and approximately linear ranking. Color was measured in the middle third of the facial surface of the right upper canine at baseline and 30 days after bleaching to calculate the variations in color towards the lighter end of the scale (Delta Shade Guide Units - DSGU).
One calibrated operator measured the color in all participants using the Vita Easyshade spectrophotomer (Easyshade, Vident, Brea, CA, USA) before and 30 days after the bleaching therapy. The L*, a* and b* parameters were recorded. L* represents the value from 0 (black) to 100 (white) and a* and b* represent the shade, where a* is the measurement along the red-green axis and b* is the measurement along the yellow-blue axis. Color change was calculated between the two assessment periods (DE) using the formula: DE = [(DL*)2 + (Da*)2 + (Db*)2]1/2.
The patients recorded their perception of TS during the first and second bleaching sessions using the visual analogue scale VAS. This scale employs a 10-cm horizontal line with words "no pain" at one end and "worst pain" at the opposite end. Participants recorded whether they experienced TS during the treatment up to 1 h after the bleaching, from 1 h to 24 hand from 24h to 48 h after bleaching. In the 30-day recall, patients were also asked if they experienced pain during this 30-day period. As two bleaching sessions were performed, the VAS score obtained in both bleaching sessions was considered for statistical purposes. These values
- Conditions
- Tooth Sensitivity
- Being tested
- Standard in-office tooth bleaching, Alternative in-office tooth bleaching
- Keywords
- tooth bleaching, tooth sensitivity
- Medical subject headings
- Dentin Sensitivity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Standard in-office tooth bleachingProcedure or surgery
Patients will have their teeth bleached in-office using 40% Hydrogen Peroxide (commercial available product - Opalescence Boost, Ultradent Products International) in two sections with 7 days of interval between sections. In each section, the product will be used during 40 minutes according to manufacturer's instructions.
Alternative in-office tooth bleachingProcedure or surgery
Patients will have their teeth bleached in-office using 40% Hydrogen Peroxide (commercial available product - Opalescence Boost, Ultradent Products International) in two sections with 7 days of interval between sections. In each section, the product will be used during 20 minutes, will be removed with water, and another application of 20 minutes will be made.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Bleaching 40 minutes | Active comparator | Patients will have their teeth bleached in-office using 40% Hydrogen Peroxide (commercial available product - Opalescence Boost, Ultradent Products International) in two sections with 7 days of interval between sections. In each section, the product will be used during 40 minutes according to manufacturer's instructions. Receives: Procedure: Standard in-office tooth bleaching |
| Bleaching 2x20 minutes | Experimental | Patients will have their teeth bleached in-office using 40% Hydrogen Peroxide (commercial available product - Opalescence Boost, Ultradent Products International) in two sections with 7 days of interval between sections. In each section, the product will be used during 20 minutes, will be removed (with water) and a new application of 20 minutes will be made. Receives: Procedure: Alternative in-office tooth bleaching |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Tooth sensitivity
Visual Analogic Scale (0-100) for Tooth Sensitivity. In this case, zero means no sensitivity (a better outcome and 100 means higher sensitivity (worse outcome).
Measured: 1 hour after dental bleaching session
Tooth sensitivity
Visual Analogic Scale (0-100) for Tooth Sensitivity. In this case, zero means no sensitivity (a better outcome and 100 means higher sensitivity (worse outcome).
Measured: 24 hours after dental bleaching session
Tooth sensitivity
Visual Analogic Scale (0-100) for Tooth Sensitivity. In this case, zero means no sensitivity (a better outcome and 100 means higher sensitivity (worse outcome).
Measured: 48 hours after dental bleaching session
Secondary outcomes (2)
Color change with scale
Objective color evaluation comparing tooth color against a comercial color scale from A1 to D4
Measured: 30 days after dental bleaching session
Color change with spectrophotometer
Objective color evaluation using a spectrophotometer
Measured: 30 days after dental bleaching session
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 May 2026
- Study start1 Oct 2025
- Primary completion20 Jan 2026
- Study completion30 Sep 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (5)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Tooth SensitivityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Universidade Federal Fluminense
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Marcos de Oliveira Barceleiro, Universidade Federal Fluminense
- Investigators
- MARCOS O BARCELEIRO, PhD, Principal investigator, Full Professor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07597044
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UFFBleachingProtocols
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 12 May 2026
- Last updated
- 19 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Carey CM. Tooth whitening: what we now know. J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2014 Jun;14 Suppl:70-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jebdp.2014.02.006. Epub 2014 Feb 13.
PubMed 24929591de Paula EA, Loguercio AD, Fernandes D, Kossatz S, Reis A. Perioperative use of an anti-inflammatory drug on tooth sensitivity caused by in-office bleaching: a randomized, triple-blind clinical trial. Clin Oral Investig. 2013 Dec;17(9):2091-7. doi: 10.1007/s00784-013-0918-2. Epub 2013 Jan 31.
PubMed 23371755de Paula EA, Nava JA, Rosso C, Benazzi CM, Fernandes KT, Kossatz S, Loguercio AD, Reis A. In-office bleaching with a two- and seven-day intervals between clinical sessions: A randomized clinical trial on tooth sensitivity. J Dent. 2015 Apr;43(4):424-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2014.09.009. Epub 2014 Sep 23.
PubMed 25257824da Costa Poubel LA, de Gouvea CVD, Calazans FS, Dip EC, Alves WV, Marins SS, Barcelos R, Barceleiro MO. Pre-operative use of dexamethasone does not reduce incidence or intensity of bleaching-induced tooth sensitivity. A triple-blind, parallel-design, randomized clinical trial. Clin Oral Investig. 2019 Jan;23(1):435-444. doi: 10.1007/s00784-018-2452-8. Epub 2018 Apr 25.
PubMed 29696420de Mendonca RP, Baliza JR, Burey A, Cavalcante LM, Loguercio AD, Calazans FS, Barceleiro MO. In vitro analysis of the pH stability of dental bleaching gels during in-office procedures. J Clin Exp Dent. 2021 Jan 1;13(1):e22-e29. doi: 10.4317/jced.57367. eCollection 2021 Jan.
PubMed 33425227
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Evaluation of Sensitivity and Color Change of Different Protocols of In-office Dental Bleaching
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07597044
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UFFBleachingProtocols
- Conditions
- Tooth Sensitivity
- Keywords
- tooth bleaching, tooth sensitivity
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Universidade Federal FluminenseUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 20 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 19 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Clinical randomized single-blind trial, used to measure the level of tooth sensitivity (TS) after in-office dental bleaching sessions, on volunteers using a modified visual analog scale (VAS). The investigators selected for this study, 40 participants with color 2M2 or darker (Using OM1 - 5M3 Vita bleaching shade guide). The investigators performed two bleaching sessions with a 40% hydrogen peroxide gel with a 1-week interval. Participants were enrolled in two groups. In one group, the bleaching product was used according to manufacturer's instructions (40-minutes application in each section). In the other group, the bleaching product was used in two 20-minutes applications in each section.The investigators recorded the TS up to 48h with a VAS scale and the color at baseline and 30 days after bleaching with a value-oriented shade guide and a spectrophotometer. The risk and intensity of TS and the color change were compared between the two groups.
Detailed description
Two weeks before the bleaching procedures, selected volunteers from the city of Nova Friburgo, (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) received a dental screening and a dental prophylaxis with pumice and water in a rubber cup and signed an informed consent form.
This was a randomized, single-blind (evaluators), parallel and equivalence trial with an equal allocation rate between groups.
A total of 71 participants were examined in a dental chair to check if they met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 40 participants were included in this study. The participants were randomly divided in the 40-minutes or 2x20-minutes groups.
During the in-office sessions, participants had the gingival tissue isolated of the teeth using a light-cured resin dam (Opal Dam, Ultradent Products International, Salt Lake, Utah, USA). After that, the 40% hydrogen peroxide gel (Opalescence Boost, Ultradent) was applied in one 40-min application according to the manufacturer's directions in all upper and lower incisors, canines and premolars, or was applied in the same teeth, but during 2 x 20-min applications, with no interval between them. After 20 minutes, the bleaching gel was removed with water spray before the second 20 minutes application. After 7 days this procedure was repeated using the same protocols.
Color evaluation was performed before and 30 days after the end of the bleaching treatment using a subjective (value oriented shade guide Vita Lumin, Vita Zahnfabrik, Bad Sackingen, Germany) and an objective method (Easyshade spectrophotometer, Vident, Brea, CA, USA). Color evaluation was done in a room under artificial lightning conditions without interference from outside light.
For the subjective examination, the shadeguide's 16 tabs were arranged from highest (B1) to lowest (C4) value. Changes in the scale were treated as representing a continuous and approximately linear ranking. Color was measured in the middle third of the facial surface of the right upper canine at baseline and 30 days after bleaching to calculate the variations in color towards the lighter end of the scale (Delta Shade Guide Units - DSGU).
One calibrated operator measured the color in all participants using the Vita Easyshade spectrophotomer (Easyshade, Vident, Brea, CA, USA) before and 30 days after the bleaching therapy. The L*, a* and b* parameters were recorded. L* represents the value from 0 (black) to 100 (white) and a* and b* represent the shade, where a* is the measurement along the red-green axis and b* is the measurement along the yellow-blue axis. Color change was calculated between the two assessment periods (DE) using the formula: DE = [(DL*)2 + (Da*)2 + (Db*)2]1/2.
The patients recorded their perception of TS during the first and second bleaching sessions using the visual analogue scale VAS. This scale employs a 10-cm horizontal line with words "no pain" at one end and "worst pain" at the opposite end. Participants recorded whether they experienced TS during the treatment up to 1 h after the bleaching, from 1 h to 24 hand from 24h to 48 h after bleaching. In the 30-day recall, patients were also asked if they experienced pain during this 30-day period. As two bleaching sessions were performed, the VAS score obtained in both bleaching sessions was considered for statistical purposes. These values
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Bleaching 40 minutes | Active comparator | Procedure: Standard in-office tooth bleachingPatients will have their teeth bleached in-office using 40% Hydrogen Peroxide (commercial available product - Opalescence Boost, Ultradent Products International) in two sections with 7 days of interval between sections. In each section, the product will be used during 40 minutes according to manufacturer's instructions. |
| Bleaching 2x20 minutes | Experimental | Procedure: Alternative in-office tooth bleachingPatients will have their teeth bleached in-office using 40% Hydrogen Peroxide (commercial available product - Opalescence Boost, Ultradent Products International) in two sections with 7 days of interval between sections. In each section, the product will be used during 20 minutes, will be removed (with water) and a new application of 20 minutes will be made. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (8 listed)
- The selected volunteers should:
Key exclusion criteria (11 listed)
- The selected volunteers should not:
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Standard in-office tooth bleachingPatients will have their teeth bleached in-office using 40% Hydrogen Peroxide (commercial available product - Opalescence Boost, Ultradent Products International) in two sections with 7 days of interval between sections. In each section, the product will be used during 40 minutes according to manufacturer's instructions. | Procedure or surgery | Bleaching 40 minutes |
| Alternative in-office tooth bleachingPatients will have their teeth bleached in-office using 40% Hydrogen Peroxide (commercial available product - Opalescence Boost, Ultradent Products International) in two sections with 7 days of interval between sections. In each section, the product will be used during 20 minutes, will be removed with water, and another application of 20 minutes will be made. | Procedure or surgery | Bleaching 2x20 minutes |
Primary outcome
Tooth sensitivity
Time frame: 1 hour after dental bleaching session
Visual Analogic Scale (0-100) for Tooth Sensitivity. In this case, zero means no sensitivity (a better outcome and 100 means higher sensitivity (worse outcome).
Tooth sensitivity
Time frame: 24 hours after dental bleaching session
Visual Analogic Scale (0-100) for Tooth Sensitivity. In this case, zero means no sensitivity (a better outcome and 100 means higher sensitivity (worse outcome).
Tooth sensitivity
Time frame: 48 hours after dental bleaching session
Visual Analogic Scale (0-100) for Tooth Sensitivity. In this case, zero means no sensitivity (a better outcome and 100 means higher sensitivity (worse outcome).
2 secondary outcomes
Color change with scale
Time frame: 30 days after dental bleaching session
Color change with spectrophotometer
Time frame: 30 days after dental bleaching session
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 19 May 2026.
- Background: PubMed 24929591Carey CM. Tooth whitening: what we now know. J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2014 Jun;14 Suppl:70-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jebdp.2014.02.006. Epub 2014 Feb 13.
- Background: PubMed 23371755de Paula EA, Loguercio AD, Fernandes D, Kossatz S, Reis A. Perioperative use of an anti-inflammatory drug on tooth sensitivity caused by in-office bleaching: a randomized, triple-blind clinical trial. Clin Oral Investig. 2013 Dec;17(9):2091-7. doi: 10.1007/s00784-013-0918-2. Epub 2013 Jan 31.
- Background: PubMed 25257824de Paula EA, Nava JA, Rosso C, Benazzi CM, Fernandes KT, Kossatz S, Loguercio AD, Reis A. In-office bleaching with a two- and seven-day intervals between clinical sessions: A randomized clinical trial on tooth sensitivity. J Dent. 2015 Apr;43(4):424-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2014.09.009. Epub 2014 Sep 23.
- Background: PubMed 29696420da Costa Poubel LA, de Gouvea CVD, Calazans FS, Dip EC, Alves WV, Marins SS, Barcelos R, Barceleiro MO. Pre-operative use of dexamethasone does not reduce incidence or intensity of bleaching-induced tooth sensitivity. A triple-blind, parallel-design, randomized clinical trial. Clin Oral Investig. 2019 Jan;23(1):435-444. doi: 10.1007/s00784-018-2452-8. Epub 2018 Apr 25.
- Background: PubMed 33425227de Mendonca RP, Baliza JR, Burey A, Cavalcante LM, Loguercio AD, Calazans FS, Barceleiro MO. In vitro analysis of the pH stability of dental bleaching gels during in-office procedures. J Clin Exp Dent. 2021 Jan 1;13(1):e22-e29. doi: 10.4317/jced.57367. eCollection 2021 Jan.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
MARCOS O BARCELEIRO, PhD principal investigator
Full Professor
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Standard in-office tooth bleaching and Alternative in-office tooth bleaching in people with Tooth Sensitivity, run by Universidade Federal Fluminense at 1 site in Brazil.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 8 inclusion and 11 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 19 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Brazil. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Tooth sensitivity (time frame: 1 hour after dental bleaching session). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07597044, which also lists 5 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 19 May 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.