title: Effects of different desensitizers and lasers on dentine tubules: An in-vitro analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dentin hypersensitivity is an important clinical problem affecting a large percentage of the population, and various therapies have been suggested for its treatment-among them desensitizing agents and lasers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effects of different in-office desensitizing agents and different type lasers, alone or in combination, on human dentinal tubules.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-four dentinal specimens obtained from freshly extracted impacted third molars were included and subsequently divided into seven groups: Group 1 (Control), Group 2 (Gluma desensitizer), Group 3 (Teethmate desensitizer), Group 4 (Nd:YAG laser), Group 5 (Er:YAG laser), Group 6 (Gluma desensitizer + Er:YAG laser), and Group 7 (Teethmate desensitizer + Er:YAG laser). The dentinal specimens of all groups were evaluated using SEM. A total of 12 images per sample were taken, and the numbers of open, partially occluded, and totally visible (open + partially occluded) dentinal tubules were counted. AFM was used to further substantiate the blocking mechanism. The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Dunnett-C tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of the number of occluded dentinal tubules per 100 µm2revealed that the laser and laser combined-treated groups showed the most occluded dentinal tubules. Gluma desensitizer + Er:YAG laser combination demonstrated significantly more tubule occlusion than all the other groups (p < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study show that combined treatment methods were effective in the occlusion of dentinal tubules.
authors.affiliation: Departmant of Periodontolgy, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Elif
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5774-4604
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Öncü
authors.affiliation: Departmant of Restorative Dentistry, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Said
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karabekiroğlu
authors.affiliation: Departmant of Restorative Dentistry, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nimet
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ünlü
mesh_terms: D003804:Dentin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D057133:Dentin Desensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D053685:Laser Therapy; D007834:Lasers; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000494:pharmacology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008963:Molar / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D057133:Dentin Desensitizing Agents; D008689:Methacrylates; C111486:gluma desensitizer; D005976:Glutaral
keywords: AFM; Er:YAG laser; Nd:YAG laser; SEM; Teethmate desensitizer; dentin hypersensitivity; gluma