Effectiveness of lasers in managing dentine hypersensitivity: an umbrella review

To synthesize evidence from systematic reviews evaluating the effectiveness of laser therapy in the management of dentine hypersensitivity (DH). A comprehensive search was conducted across nine databases-PubMed, Cochrane Library, Medline, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, DARE, PROSPERO, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses-from inception to June 2025. This review followed a registered PROSPERO protocol and adhered to JBI and Cochrane methodological standards. Twenty-five systematic reviews were included. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the JBI checklist and the ROBIS tool. Overlap of primary studies was evaluated using citation matrices and the Corrected Covered Area (CCA) method. Laser therapy, either as a standalone intervention or combined with desensitizing agents, was consistently associated with short-term reduction in DH-related pain. Several high-quality reviews supported its effectiveness over placebo or no treatment. However, results were inconsistent when compared to other desensitizing agents. Only 7 reviews were rated as high quality, and most reviews had a high risk of bias, primarily due to lack of protocol registration, incomplete search strategies, and insufficient reporting of bias assessment. The CCA score of 3.9% indicated slight overlap among primary studies. Laser therapy appears to be effective for short-term relief of dentine hypersensitivity, but current evidence is limited by methodological weaknesses in existing reviews. Standardized clinical trial protocols, long-term follow-up data, and cost-effectiveness studies are essential to inform future clinical and policy decisions.