Clinical Evaluation of the Efficacy of Neodymium-Doped Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (Nd: YAG) Laser Therapy and Sensikin® in Treatment of Dentine Hypersensitivity

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Dentine hypersensitivity (DH) is characterized by a short sharp pain arising from the exposed dentine, in response to a thermal, evaporative, tactile, osmotic or chemical stimulus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Nd:YAG laser therapy and desensitizing gel (Sensikin®, Laboratorios Kin S.A., Barcelona, Spain) in treatment of dentine hypersensitivity.METHODS: A total of 20 patients with at least 6 hypersensitive teeth were selected and divided randomly into three groups: Nd:YAG laser (10 HZ, 1W, 60 S, two times) treated group, Sensikin® treated group and a control group. Subjects were asked to apply the gel at home for the next week and 3 times a day as they were instructed. Assessment of the pain was performed by visual analyzing scale (VAS) after stimulation of the teeth by compressed air at 6 intervals: before treatment, immediately after treatment, one week, one, three and six months later. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS software, one way ANOVA and repeated measurement ANOVA tests.RESULTS: VAS scores did not show any significant differences between the three groups prior to treatment (P value>0.05), but in all groups after treatment VAS scores differed significantly in comparison to VAS scores before treatment (Pvalue<0.05). This statistically significant difference in the control group demonstrated a placebo effect. However, the efficacy between the three groups was not significantly different. An overall comparison indicated no significant differences at various time intervals.CONCLUSION: Nd:YAG laser and desensitizing gel effectively reduce DH. However, we found no significant statistical differences between these two groups compared with the control group. Keywords: dentine hypersensitivity Nd YAG laser laser therapy.