Effectiveness of Desensitizing Agents for the Treatment of Dentinal Hypersensitivity

Objectives: The present study aimed at verifying the immediate and mediate clinical performance of a low-level Gallium-Aluminum-Arsenide (GaAlAs) laser and a 3% potassium oxalate gel for the treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity, using a placebo gel as a control. Methods: A total of 164 teeth from 30 patients with clinical diagnosis of moderate or severe dentinal hypersensitivity were selected for this controlled clinical trial. The teeth were randomly divided into three groups according to the desensitizing treatment under study (GaAlAs laser, 3% potassium oxalate gel and placebo gel) and treatment sessions were performed at seven-day intervals for four consecutive weeks. The degree of sensitivity in response to evaporative and tactile stimuli was assessed according to a visual analogue scale at baseline, immediately after and three months after the fourth application. The results were analyzed by dentinal hypersensitivity reduction for each observational moment in relation to baseline, for each group separately. Results: Both active and control groups resulted in statistically significant reduction of dentinal hypersensitivity in response to evaporative and tactile stimulation immediately after and three months after treatment. No significant differences among the three groups could be detected in both immediate and mediate evaluations irrespective of the applied stimulus. Conclusions: The treatments under study had similar effectiveness and both active and placebo treatments were effective for treating dentinal hypersensitivity.