To evaluate the effectiveness of four topical desensitizing agents in providing short-term relief of dentin hypersensitivity.
Methods and Materials
One hundred sixteen hypersensitive teeth with a positive response to intraoral testing for dentin hypersensitivity were included in this study. The four desensitizing agents tested were Duraphat™, 2% fluoride iontophoresis, copal varnish (CV), and Gluma™ Comfort Bond Plus Desensitizer. Following a specific regimen randomly determined desensitizing agents were applied in an alternating order when patients presented in a clinical setting with a complaint of hypersensitive teeth. A visual analogue scale was used to determine the degrees of hypersensitivity at three points in time. The first being just before the treatment to establish a baseline, then at 24 hours post-treatment, and the last at seven days post-treatment. Differences in the mean pain scores (MPS) between the baseline and post-treatment evaluation periods were used to determine the reduction in dentin hypersensitivity.
Results
At baseline the MPS for teeth treated with CV was 5.34 (SD: 2.39), Duraphat™ was 4.66 (SD: 1.82), Gluma™ was 6.03 (SD: 2.37), and iontophoresis was 5.76 (SD: 1.37). At 24 hours post-treatment the MPS for CV was 2.1 (SD: 0.95), Duraphat™ was 1.38 (SD;1.86), Gluma™ was 0.79 (SD;1.45), and iontophoresis was 1.62 (SD1.97). The reduction in dentin hypersensitivity at 24 hours (difference between baseline MPS and 24 hour MPS) was 5.28 for Gluma™, 4.14 for iontophoresis, 3.28 for Duraphat™, and 3.24 for CV which were all statistically significant (p<0.05). At seven days, the MPS for CV was 1.55 (SD: 1.44), Duraphat™ was 1.0 (SD;1.89), Gluma™ was 0.10 (SD;0.44), and iontophoresis was 0.3 (SD;0.98). Reduction of hypersensitivity between 24 hours and one week was 1.32 for iontophoresis, 0.69 for Gluma™, 0.55 for CV, and 0.38 for Duraphat™. Only the reductions for iontophoresis and Gluma™ were statistically significant at seven days (p<0.05).
Conclusions
All agents caused a statistically significant reduction in dentin hypersensitivity within 24 hours of treatment. Gluma™ performed best at 24 hours while iontophoresis appeared to have an edge at seven days. Long-term studies are needed to determine why this difference exists. Dentin hypersensitivity presents as an emergency condition requiring an effective means of providing immediate relief in the clinician's treatment armamentarium.
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