title: Dentin desensitizing agents: SEM and X-ray microanalysis assessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of four proprietary dentin desensitizing agents on dentin tubular occlusion, chemical composition changes on the dentin surface, and the effect of saliva and toothbrushing on these agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty dentin discs, obtained from 50 freshly extracted human premolar and molar teeth were used in this study. These were divided into five groups of 10 discs each. Five discs from each group were treated with the desensitizing agents, viewed under the SEM and subjected to energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The other five discs were treated with the desensitizing agents, immersed in artificial saliva, subjected to simulated toothbrushing equivalent to 3 weeks of normal brushing and viewed under the SEM. The agents studied were Sensodyne Dentin Desensitizer, Therma-Trol Desensitizer Gel, Gluma Desensitizer and All-Bond DS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed that Sensodyne Dentin Desensitizer exhibited the greatest amount of tubular occlusion among the unbrushed samples, followed by Therma-Trol Desensitizer Gel, Gluma Desensitizer and All-Bond DS (P < 0.05) in that order. Toothbrushing increased tubular occlusion in all cases except the Sensodyne Dentin Desensitizer treated samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Denehy
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Boyer
mesh_terms: D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003804:Dentin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003806:Dentin Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000494:pharmacology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D015588:Observer Variation; D010070:Oxalates / Q000494:pharmacology; D012463:Saliva / Q000502:physiology; D016369:Smear Layer; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014099:Toothbrushing
chemical_list: C111527:All-Bond DS; D008689:Methacrylates; D010070:Oxalates; C111528:Sensodyne Dentin Desensitizer; C111529:Therma-Trol Desensitizer Gel; C111486:gluma desensitizer; D005976:Glutaral