Treatment of Dentin Hypersensitivity Using Nano-Hydroxyapatite Pastes: A Randomized Three-Month Clinical Trial

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Clinical Dentistry
• Biomaterials Research

Background:

• Dentin hypersensitivity is a common clinical condition affecting a significant portion of the adult population.
• Current treatments include agents with potassium nitrate, stannous fluoride, and arginine-based formulations, with varying efficacy.
• Nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) has emerged as a promising biomaterial for dentin remineralization and hypersensitivity management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the three-month desensitizing efficacy of two nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) protocols against established treatments.
• To assess the effectiveness of n-HA formulations in reducing dentin hypersensitivity compared to Pro-Argin and fluoride varnish.

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial involving 28 subjects with 137 teeth exhibiting dentin exposure and hypersensitivity (VAS ≥ 4).
• Four groups received different treatments: Desensibilize Nano-P paste (20% n-HA), n-HA associated with home-care paste, Pro-Relief (8% arginine) with home-care, and Duraphat (22,600 ppm F) varnish.
• Sensitivity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at baseline, one month, and three months post-treatment.

Main Results:

• All tested treatments demonstrated effectiveness in reducing dentin hypersensitivity at the one-month follow-up, with no significant differences observed between groups (p=0.94).
• At three months, while sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish showed the least reduction in hypersensitivity, no statistically significant differences were found among all treatment groups (p=0.09).
• The Pro-Relief group showed a statistically significant increase in its desensitizing effect over the three-month period (p=0.049).

Conclusions:

• Nano-hydroxyapatite formulations, whether used alone or in conjunction with home-care products, exhibited comparable efficacy to Pro-Argin and fluoride varnish in managing dentin hypersensitivity over three months.
• These findings suggest that n-HA formulations are a viable and effective alternative for the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity.