Effect of photobiomodulation on dentin hypersensitivity: a randomized controlled double-blind clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate if photobiomodulation (PBM) can reduce dentin hypersensitivity (DH) through a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twelve patients experiencing DH after non-surgical scaling and root planing (SRP) were enrolled and divided into the Experimental Group - SRP + PBM (660 nm, 1.061 J/cm(2)) and the Control Group - SRP + PBM simulation. The primary outcome was the assessment of DH through tactile and thermal stimulation using the visual analog scale (VAS) after seven days. Additionally, paracetamol was prescribed and quantified as needed. Also, the impact of oral health on participants' quality of life using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire was applied. Outcome assessments occurred seven days and one-month post-application. RESULTS: In both 7 and 30 days, pain values were significantly lower in the experimental group compared to the control group (P = 0.001 and < 0.001, respectively). No differences were observed between the groups regarding analgesic usage. The experimental group also showed a significant improvement in the impact of oral health on participants' quality of life (P < 0.001), with lower OHIP-14 scores at all time points (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that photobiomodulation significantly reduces pain at 7- and 30-days following scaling and root planing. Additionally, it is associated with improvements in the oral health-related quality of life in patients with dentin hypersensitivity. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05946265.