title: A comparative evaluation to assess the efficacy of 5% sodium fluoride varnish and diode laser and their combined application in the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) is an age old complaint with a great number of treatment modalities, but none of these are totally effective till date. Lasers being one of the latest treatment options in periodontics, a study was conducted to test the efficacy of diode laser (DL) in DH alone and in comparison with 5% sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of 5% topical NaF varnish and 980 nm gallium aluminum arsenide (GaAlAs) DL alone and combination of 5% NaF + 980 nm GaAlAs DL in the management of DH.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted on 120 teeth in thirty patients with DH assessed by tactile and air blast (AB) stimuli measured by visual analog scale (VAS). Teeth were randomly divided into Group 1 (P) placebo-treated control group, Group 2 (NaF) treated by 5% NaF varnish, Group 3 (DL) treated with 980 nm DL, and Group 4 (NaF + DL) treated with both 5% NaF varnish and 980 nm DL (combination group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant reduction in DH. The VAS reduction percentages were calculated, and there was a significant decrease in DH above all in G4 (NaF + DL) than G3 (DL) and G2 (NaF).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even though all the three groups (2, 3, and 4) showed improvement in terms of DH reduction, 5% NaF varnish with DL showed the best results among all the groups.
authors: Department of Periodontics, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors: Isha
authors: I
authors: Suri
authors: Department of Periodontics, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors: Poonam
authors: P
authors: Singh
authors: Department of Periodontics, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors: Quaid Johar
authors: QJ
authors: Shakir
authors: Department of Periodontics, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors: Arvind
authors: A
authors: Shetty
authors: Department of Periodontics, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors: Ranjeet
authors: R
authors: Bapat
authors: Department of Periodontics, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors: Roshani
authors: R
authors: Thakur
keywords: Dentin hypersensitivity; gallium aluminum arsenide diode laser; pain measurement; sodium fluoride varnish