Objective: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two treatments for dentin hypersensitivity in vivo during 90 days of follow-up.
Materials and methods: The sample consisted of 117 teeth (13 patients) that were divided into three groups: control with carbomer 940 gel (n = 32) (placebo treatment), 2% sodium fluoride gel (n = 31) and low-level infrared diode laser (n = 54). Prior to the desensitizing treatment, the dentin hypersensitivity status of each tooth was assessed by an evaporative stimulus; the patient's response was evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and by counting the Exposure Time to Air Blast (ETAB) with a dental air syringe. Re-evaluations of the treatments occurred after 5 min, 7, 15, 30 and 90 days. The statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, Friedman test, one-way ANOVA, Tukey's test and Spearman's rank correlation (α = 5%).
Results: No significant differences were observed among the low-level laser, 2% topical fluoride and carbomer 940 gel applications. When the methods of evaluation (VAS and ETAB) were compared, there was no difference among the groups with respect to the values for every period of evaluation (p < 0.001), verifying that the scores obtained with the VAS decreased at the same proportion as the remaining time of ETAB increased.
Conclusions: This study showed that both tested therapies were efficacious in controlling painful symptoms associated with dentin hypersensitivity over the entire 90-day follow-up period. The treatments were able to reduce the painful symptoms caused by dentin hypersensitivity, including placebo.