Treatment of dentin hypersensitivity by Nd:YAG laser.
OBJECTIVE
Promising results using Nd:YAG laser against dentin hypersensitivity have been reported. The aim of this double-blind, controlled, split-mouth designed clinical trial was to assess the effect of a single Nd:YAG laser application on alleviating hypersensitivity.


RESULTS
Seventeen subjects participated in the study. Each of them had two teeth treated; one with the laser activated and one with nonactivated (placebo), for 2 min The assessment of pain was performed by a VAS, after an air blast at baseline immediately after treatment, at 1 week, 4 weeks and 16 weeks. Mean values of VAS for test and control teeth were compared by paired t-test (alpha = 0.05). The results showed mean baseline VAS values of 6.59 (+/- 1.65) and 6.14(+/- 1.95) for test and control teeth, respectively. Immediately after treatment, these values decreased to 4.09(+/- 2.28) and 3.89(+/- 2.11), respectively. After 1 week, 4 weeks and 16 weeks the mean values for test and control teeth were 3.85 +/- 2.36, 4.03 +/- 1.95, 3.60 +/- 2.66, and 4.44 +/- 2.56, 3.41 +/- 2.30, 3.42 +/- 2.30, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between test and control at any time. However, both groups improved significantly (P < 0.05) from baseline to immediately after application, and at 1 week, 4 weeks and 16 weeks, respectively. The changes that occurred between immediately after application and 1 week, 4 weeks and 16 weeks, respectively, were not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that the effect of treatment of hypersensitive teeth with Nd:YAG laser is not different from placebo. The observed effects seem to last for at least 16 weeks.
Lier
B B
BB
Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Norway.
Rösing
C K
CK
Aass
A M
AM
Gjermo
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003804:Dentin / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D009354:Neodymium; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010919:Placebos; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D015019:Yttrium
D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D010919:Placebos; D009354:Neodymium; D015019:Yttrium