the Efficacy of Giomer Versus Sodium Fluoride in the Treatment of Hypersensitivity

The dentin hypersensitivity is characterized by short, sharp pain which can be detected by several methods. The problem is very annoying for the patients and making them seek for effective rapid treatment. It can affect several teeth in one area of the mouth or only one specific tooth. Careful diagnosis of such condition necessitates precise differentiation of its signs and symptoms from the other causes of tooth sensitivity which may be resulted from dental caries, micro leakage, cracked tooth or fractured restoration. There are two well-known ways to reduce the discomfort of the hypersensitivity either by blocking the exposed dentinal tubules by occluding materials or use some depolarizing agents that reducing the excitability of the intra dental nerves.Most of the desensitizing agents reduces the dentin hypersensitivity by its own way and each one has different long lasting effect. But there are some drawbacks that appeared with their use. Fluoride based agents were appeared in 90's but it was clarified that their high concentration irritated the odontoblasts. Furthermore, the oxalates and potassium nitrate were introduced to treat the hypersensitivity effectively but their effects did not persist for a long period of time. Sodium fluoride varnish is one from the most commonly used desensitizing agent and its efficacy was approved in many studies. The Giomer varnish containing surface pre-reactive glass particles (S-PRG) is a light-cured protective varnish and it was introduced to promote prolonged protection for the hypersensitive dentin.