Dentin hypersensitivity: etiology, diagnosis and treatment protocols

Abstract

Dentin hypersensitivity is a relatively common and painful dental condition. The pain is usually short-lived, acute, and occurs in response to chemical, thermal, mechanical, and osmotic stimuli applied to exposed dentin and cannot be explained by any other pathology. The objective of this study was to elucidate the causes, diagnosis and possible treatments for dentin hypersensitivity. To this end, a literature review was conducted in the Scielo, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. The individual need for treatment is associated with the etiology, the patient's pain level, and the extent and depth of the lesion. Treatments are classified by physical and chemical properties, and mode of action. Essential requirements for treatment effectiveness are: fast and long-lasting action, low cost, ease of use, painlessness, non-harmful to the pulp, and non-staining of the tooth. Although there is no consensus on the most effective treatment, advances in research and new products tend to identify better therapeutic results to provide patients with a better quality of life.

Keywords: Dental hypersensitivity. Sensitive dentin. Treatment. Diagnosis.