Erbium Laser Therapy Outperforms Traditional Treatments for Dentin Hypersensitivity Relief

A recent observational study has revealed that erbium laser therapy significantly outperforms traditional desensitizing treatments in managing dentin hypersensitivity among adults. 
Conducted on 138 participants aged 18 to 65, the study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Fotona LightWalker® Erbium laser compared to conventional methods.
Participants were divided into two groups: one receiving laser therapy and the other undergoing traditional treatment, which included the application of 5% sodium fluoride varnish and the use of desensitizing toothpaste. The laser therapy was administered bi-weekly over three months, with each session lasting five minutes at an energy density of 20 J/cm².
Follow-up assessments at 3-, 6-, and 12-months post-treatment demonstrated that laser therapy led to a marked reduction in dentin hypersensitivity, as measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores. 
The laser group recorded mean VAS scores of 2.5 (±1.5), 1.2 (±0.9), and 0.6 (±0.5), in stark contrast to the traditional treatment group, which had higher scores of 3.8 (±1.2), 4.5 (±1.0), and 4.0 (±0.7) respectively. Statistical analysis confirmed the significance of these differences (p < 0.001).
Similarly, tactile hypersensitivity assessments indicated that laser therapy maintained lower scores at 6 and 12 months compared to traditional treatments. While the study did not employ a randomized controlled design, its findings support the potential of erbium laser therapy as a safe and effective alternative for alleviating dentin hypersensitivity.