Dentin hypersensitivity

Laser therapy for dentin hypersensitivity systematic review and meta-analysis

Pion LA, Matos LLM, Gimenez T, et al. Dental and Medical Problems. 2023.

Source

A systematic review found laser therapy can reduce dentin hypersensitivity pain, but could not define one protocol.

Evidence grade

low

Effect direction

positive

Panel relevance

not-panel-replicable

Key findings

  • Thirty-four studies were included; 11 entered quantitative analysis.
  • Both high- and low-power lasers reduced pain after treatment in meta-analysis.
  • Evaluation methods differed too much to establish a defined treatment protocol.

Protocol details

WavelengthsNot reported nm
IrradianceNot reported mW/cm2
FluenceNot reported J/cm2
Session timeNot reported minutes
FrequencyDental protocol-specific
DurationMany studies followed patients for up to 6 months
Treatment areaSensitive teeth/dentin surfaces
Device typeDental laser therapy

Caveats

  • Protocol heterogeneity is high.
  • Dental diagnosis is needed because tooth sensitivity has multiple causes.