Incidence and time course of dentinal hypersensitivity after periodontal surgery

This study sought to characterize the incidence and clinical progression of dentinal hypersensitivity after periodontal surgery. Fourteen patients scheduled for open-flap periodontal debridement participated in the study. Ten subjects completed the study and were evaluated for six consecutive weeks after periodontal surgery. Tactile hypersensitivity was assessed using the Yeaple probe; thermal hypersensitivity measurements were obtained using a blast of air from the air/water syringe; and subjective hypersensitivity measurements were obtained using a visual analog scale (VAS). Measurements were taken preoperatively, one week postoperatively, and once a week for the next five consecutive weeks, for a total of six measurements after periodontal surgery. Depending on the stimuli used, dentinal hypersensitivity at one week after periodontal surgery ranged from 67 to 76%. Preoperative tactile and thermal hypersensitivity incidence combined was 30% at baseline. One week after periodontal surgery, the combined incidence had increased to 79%; at six weeks postsurgery, it had decreased to 45%. This study shows that postoperative dentinal hypersensitivity increases at one and three weeks after open-flap periodontal debridement before spontaneously and gradually decreasing to levels similar to those presurgery, even in the absence of desensitizing therapy.