Could light replace the Dentist's needle for kids?
NCT ID NCT06691269
First seen Aug 12, 2026 · Last updated Aug 13, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether a special light device, called photobiomodulation, can numb teeth and gums enough to make dental treatments more comfortable for children. It involves 200 healthy kids aged 6-12 who need routine dental care. The study will check if the light works for numbing teeth, reducing pain from injections, and even for simple fillings without a numbing shot.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Photobiomodulation (low-level light therapy) using a near-infrared laser device
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this could offer a needle-free, painless alternative to local anesthesia for children's dental procedures, reducing fear and discomfort.
- What could go wrong
- The trial is early and small, and the device may not provide sufficient pain relief for all procedures. Individual responses to light therapy can vary.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 200 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jul 2025
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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6 to 12 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy children, aged 6-12 years, requiring routine dental treatment Exclusion Criteria: * Children with uncooperative behavior or signficant medical history
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Pediatric Clinics
RECRUITINGBaltimore, Maryland, 21201, United States
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