Volume 40, Issue 1 pp. 53-64
Periodontal Therapy

In-office treatment for dentin hypersensitivity: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Po-Yen Lin

Po-Yen Lin

Department of Dentistry, School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Department of Dentistry, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Ya-Wen Cheng

Ya-Wen Cheng

Department of Dentistry, School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Chia-Yi Chu

Chia-Yi Chu

Department of Dentistry, School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Department of Dentistry, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Kuo-Liong Chien

Kuo-Liong Chien

Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

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Chun-Pin Lin

Chun-Pin Lin

Department of Dentistry, School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Yu-Kang Tu

Corresponding Author

Yu-Kang Tu

Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

Address:

Yu-Kang Tu

Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine

College of Public Health, National Taiwan University

Room 539, 17 Xu-Zhou Road

Taipei

Taiwan

E-mail: [email protected]

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First published: 30 August 2012
Citations: 79

Conflict of interest and sources of funding statement

No external funding, apart from the support of the authors' institution, was available for this study. The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest in this study.

Abstract

Aim

Dentin hypersensitivity, caused by the exposure and patency of dentinal tubules, can affect patients' quality of life. The aim of this study was to undertake a systematic review and a network meta-analysis, comparing the effectiveness in resolving dentin hypersensitivity among different in-office desensitizing treatments.

Materials and Methods

A literature search was performed with electronic databases and by hand until December 2011. The included trials were divided into six treatment groups as placebo, physical occlusion, chemical occlusion, nerve desensitization, laser therapy and combined treatments. The treatment effects between groups were estimated with standardized mean differences by using a Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Results

Forty studies were included. The standardized mean difference between placebo and physical occlusion was −2.57 [95% credible interval (CI): −4.24 to −0.94]; placebo versus chemical occlusion was −2.33 (95% CI: −3.65 to −1.04); placebo versus nerve desensitization was −1.72 (95% CI: −4.00 to 0.52); placebo versus laser therapy was −2.81 (95% CI: −4.41 to −1.24); placebo versus combined treatment was −3.47 (95% CI: −5.99 to −0.96). The comparisons of the five active treatments showed no significant differences.

Conclusions

The results from network meta-analysis showed that most active treatment options had significantly better treatment outcome than placebo.

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