Pain Relief Effects of Nd: YAG Laser Irradiation on Dentin Hypersensitivity during Periodontal Treatment

Abstract

The exposure of root surfaces during periodontal treatment often results in dentin hypersensitivity. Although there are various treatments for this hypersensitivity, they are not always effective in all cases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pain relief effect of pulsed Nd: YAG laser irradiation for dentin hypersensitivity during periodontal treatment.
One hundred teeth of 45 patients (20 male, 25 female, aged 24 to 62 years) were examined in this study. Conditions for irradiation were carried out at the laser energy 1.5 W, pulses per second 15 pps, irradiation time 60 sec. And Nd: YAG laser irradiated on mucogingival surfaces stained with Chinese ink. The degree of dentin hypersensitivity to air blast and tooth brushing were evaluated before and after Nd: YAG laser irradiation using visual analogue scale (VAS), which is considered a practical and valid method for assessing the efficacy of treatments for dentin hypesensitivity. Also, we observed mucogingival surfaces before and after Nd: YAG laser irradiation by oral photograph and laser microscopy.
Nd: YAG laser irradiation was effective for dentin hypersensitivity with gingival recession within 3mm. There was a statistially significant difference in the pain relief effect between anterior and posterior teeth (p<0.001), and no damage was found on mucogingival surfaces after Nd: YAG laser irradiation.
This study suggested that Nd: YAG laser irradiation may be useful for dentin hypersensitivity during periodontal treatment. J. Jpn. Soc. Periodontol., 41: 180-487, 1999.