Efficacy of diode laser in association to sodium fluoride vs Gluma desensitizer on treatment of cervical dentin hypersensitivity. A double blind controlled trial.

Purpose: To evaluate the desensitizing efficacy of 2% sodium fluoride solution (NaF), diode laser (DL), a DL and NaF association and a solution of hydroxyl-ethyl-methacrylate and glutaraldehyde (HEMA-G: Gluma desensitizer) in cervical dentin hypersensitivity (CDH).

Methods: 262 teeth of 24 subjects (16 females and eight males; age 21 to 64 years, mean 38 years), each having at least two CHD teeth for each quadrant, were included in this prospective, split mouth, clinical study. Teeth of each oral quadrant were randomized in four groups (SG) to study the effectiveness of NaF (SG-1), of DL (SG-2) NaF-DL combination (SG-3) and HEMA-G (SG-4). The subjects were asked to rate the sensitivity experienced during air stimulation by placing a mark on a visual analogue scale (VAS) before treatment (baseline), immediately after treatment, and after 1, and 6 months.

Results: The outcomes showed a significant reduction of discomfort compared to baseline values for teeth of SG-3 immediately post treatment (82.6%) (P < 0.001), after 1 month (69.5%) (P < 0.001) and after 6 months (60.8%) (P < 0.001), respectively, compared with the reduction scores of 51.6% (P < 0.001), 29.7% (P < 0.05) and 4.7% (P > 0.05), recorded for SG-1; 72.2%, (P < 0.001), 62.5% (P < 0.001), and 47.2% (P < 0.05), recorded for SG-2; 77.4% (P < 0.001), 56.1% (P < 0.001), and 27.3% (P < 0.05), recorded for SG-4.