Evaluation of the Efficacy of Diode Laser as an Adjunct to 1.23% Acidulated Phosphate Fluoride in the Management of Dentinal Hypersensitivity: A Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial

Introduction: Dentinal hypersensitivity (DH) has become increasingly common. Numerous studies have advocated for the use of lasers in addressing DH. These treatments have been applied either independently or alongside active desensitising agents. Therefore, this study sought to gauge the efficacy of using a diode laser in combination with 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) for managing dentinal hypersensitivity. Materials and Methods: Sixty-two patients participated in this study. Group 1 was treated with a combination of diode laser and 1.23% APF. Group 2 received only the diode laser application. DH was evaluated using VAS and Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) at baseline, immediately post-operative, day 7 and day 15 post-operative. The data were analysed using repeated measures ANOVA, independent t -tests and Bonferroni post hoc analysis. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A marked reduction in VAS and VRS scores was observed in both groups over time ( P < 0.001). Although, both the groups were matched ( P > 0.05) for VAS and VRS scores at baseline, significant differences were noted at immediate post-operative and day 7 ( P < 0.05), with Group 1 showing lower mean VAS and VRS scores, suggesting superior immediate and short-term efficacy of the diode laser when combined with fluoride. However, the difference at day 14 was not significant. Conclusion: Diode lasers alone and in combination with 1.23% APF were effective in the treatment of DH. The magnitude of improvement was slightly higher when fluoride was applied across all intervals, reaffirming the added benefit of fluoride in enhancing the desensitising effect of diode laser therapy.