Intrapulpal thermal variation in standalone and dentifrice-assisted laser desensitisation at two time intervals

Area of Science:

• Dental materials science
• Biophotonics
• Laser dentistry

Background:

• Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) is a prevalent condition requiring effective pain management.
• Laser therapy offers a potential solution for DH by occluding dentinal tubules.
• Investigating adjunctive materials to optimize laser treatment for DH is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare intrapulpal temperature changes during laser irradiation for dentin desensitization.
• To evaluate the efficacy of a dentifrice used in conjunction with laser therapy versus laser alone.

Main Methods:

• Nineteen human molar teeth were sectioned and prepared for intrapulpal temperature measurement using thermocouples.
• A diode laser (940 nm) was applied in a defocused mode, with and without a desensitizing dentifrice.
• Temperature changes were recorded under simulated pulpal microcirculation at 15 and 30-second intervals.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in intrapulpal temperature was observed with longer laser exposure durations (p < 0.001).
• Laser irradiation significantly increased temperature, with a notable difference between laser-alone and laser-plus-dentifrice groups (p < 0.001).
• No significant interaction was found between exposure duration and the use of dentifrice (p = 0.062).

Conclusions:

• Combining dentifrice with laser irradiation reduces intrapulpal temperature rise compared to laser treatment alone.
• The duration of laser exposure is a critical factor influencing temperature variations in the dental pulp.
• This finding suggests a safer application of laser therapy for dentin hypersensitivity when used with a dentifrice.