Clinical evaluation of Er,Cr:YSGG and GaAlAs laser therapy for treating dentine hypersensitivity: A randomized controlled clinical trial.
OBJECTIVE
The advent of dental lasers has raised another possible treatment option for dentine hypersensitivity (DH) and has become a research interest in the last decades. The aim of this randomized, controlled, double-blind, split mouth, clinical study was to evaluate and compare the desensitizing effects of erbium, chromium-doped:yttrium, scandium, gallium and garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) to galium-aluminium-arsenide (GaAlAs) laser on DH.


METHODS
Fifty-one patients participated in this study for a total of 174 teeth. DH was assessed for all groups with a visual analog scale. For each patient, the teeth were randomized to three groups. In the diode laser group, sensitive teeth were irradiated with the GaAlAs laser at 8.5J/cm(2) energy density. In the Er,Cr:YSGG laser group, sensitive teeth were irradiated with Er,Cr:YSGG laser in the hard tissue mode using a none-contact probe at an energy level of 0.25W and repetition rate of 20Hz, 0% water and 10% air. In the control group no treatment was performed. Treatment time was 60s for GaAlAs laser and 30s for Er,Cr:YSGG laser.


RESULTS
When compared with the control group and baseline data, in both laser groups, laser irradiation provided a desensitizing effect immediately after treatment and this effect was maintained throughout the study (p<0.05). No significant differences between Er,Cr:YSGG and GaAlAs laser groups were found at any follow-up examination (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Based on these findings, it may be concluded that both Er,Cr:YSGG and GaAlAs lasers were effective in the treatment of DH following a single application.
Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Near East University, Mersin 10, Turkey. dr.hguneyyilmaz@gmail.com
Hasan Guney
HG
Yilmaz
Sevcan
S
Kurtulmus-Yilmaz
Esra
E
Cengiz
Hakan
H
Bayindir
Yasar
Y
Aykac
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003804:Dentin / Q000528:radiation effects; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult