[Treatment of dentin hypersensitivity: a retrospective and comparative study of two therapeutic approaches]

Stimulation on exposed dentine at the enamo-dentinal junction is often painful and uncomfortable for the affected patient. Two hundred and forty-four subjects suffering from dentinal sensitivity, aged from 18 to 48 years old, were treated with two types of desensitizing agent. In this study, we used sodium fluoride (Duraflor) and calcium hydroxide (Dycal catalyst). The desensitizing agent is first applied on the exposed dentine and then burnished, without local anaesthesia, until all sensitivity has disappeared. After the first session, 100% of the subjects were desensitized. All subjects were seen 1, 2, 3, 6, 13 and 26 weeks after the first application. After 6 months, 94% of the subjects treated with calcium hydroxide (Dycal) and 87% of those treated with sodium fluoride (Duraflor) were still desensitized. This difference is statistically significant at alpha = 0.01 (Anova test). In conclusion, our study reveals that both calcium hydroxide (Dycal) and sodium fluoride (Duraflor) are effective in the treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity. A slight significant advantage in using calcium hydroxide is also noted.