Evaluation of the effects of 980 and 810‑nm high‑level diode lasers in treating dentin hypersensitivity: A double‑blinded randomized clinical trial

Dentin hypersensitivity is a prevalent problem, manifested as a short sharp pain. Researchers have used different lasers to treat this condition. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of 980 and 810‑nm high‑level diode lasers on dentin hypersensitivity to determine proper laser parameters for clinical applications.

In this double‑blinded randomized clinical trial, seven patients with 60 teeth affected by dentin hypersensitivity were selected for the present double‑blind, randomized clinical trial. The patients’ teeth were randomly matched and assigned to three groups: Group 1:980‑nm diode laser; Group 2: 810‑nm diode laser; and Group 3: Control, which received only the guiding beam. The laser parameters were 1‑W power, continuous wave mode, a distance of 1 mm, no contact, a 45° irradiation angle, and a 30‑s exposure time using to‑and‑fro movements. The treatment consisted of two sessions with a 1‑week interval. Pain severity was determined with the visual analog scale (VAS) at all the study intervals using a dry ice spray. The data were analyzed with SPSS version 20 using one‑way ANOVA, repeated measures ANOVA, and least significant difference tests. Significance level was set at α = 0.05.

The changes in VAS were significant only in the first stage (P = 0.046). The mean VAS scores decreased over time in the 810‑nm and 980 laser groups. A comparison of VAS changes relative to the baseline revealed significant changes in VAS scores at all the time intervals with both lasers. The two 810 and 980‑nm laser groups did not exhibit any significant differences for 2 months postoperatively (P = 0.098).

The application of 810 and 980‑nm diode lasers at 1‑W power and an exposure time of 30 s was effective in decreasing pain in patients with dentin hypersensitivity, with no significant difference between these two lasers.