Impact of Various Desensitizing Agents on Occlusion of Dentinal Tubules: A Scanning Electron Microscopic Study.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to compare the capacity of three dissimilar commercially accessible desensitizing products for the occlusion of dentinal tubules using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The nondiseased human mandibular premolar teeth, ninety in number, were amassed for this study. The blocks subsequently made were subjected to polishing using abrasive paper to facilitate dentinal surface exposure. The samples were randomly allocated to one of the following three groups: Group I, samples to be treated with Admira Protect; Group II, samples to be treated with MI paste, Group III, samples to be treated with Remin Pro. Photomicrograph of every sample was taken to evaluate the occlusion of the dentin tubule under 2000× magnification of the SEM. RESULTS: MI paste exhibited the greatest dentin tubular occlusion with a value of 2.746 ± 0.530 followed by Admira Protect (3.498 ± 0.202) and Remin Pro (4.594 ± 0.364) in that order. Amid the various desensitizing materials used, statistically significant differences (p <0.001) were noted. CONCLUSION: Within the confines of the limitations of the present research, following a comparative assessment of the three desensitizing materials used, it can be concluded that all of them were efficient in sealing off the dentin tubules in spite of differing chemical constitutions and techniques of application. When compared with the agents, Admira Protect and Remin Pro, MI paste exhibited the maximum occluding capacity of the dentinal tubules. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: A short, sharp shooting pain characterizes the frequent problem of dentin hypersensitivity (DH). Sealing off the open dentin tubules, thereby reducing dentinal permeability, is a known method in the treatment of DH. As several agents exist to reduce DH, the best commercially marketed product for decreasing this condition by occluding the tubules should be identified by the clinicians.

Remineralization Potential of Three Different Dentifrices using Raman Spectroscopy and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the remineralization potential of three different dentifrices using Raman spectroscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Materials and methods: Totally, 30 extracted intact impacted third molar teeth were selected and the crown of each tooth in a group was separated from the root and longitudinally sectioned into four parts with each section under a subgroup, of which one section was an untreated section, the second and the third sections were demineralized in a demineralizing solution, and the third section was remineralized after demineralization. The teeth in the three groups were demineralized for 4 days and then treated with 0.21% sodium fluoride dentifrice with trical-cium phosphate, casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP), and NovaMin for 14 days, following which the teeth surfaces were studied using Raman spec-troscopy and CLSM to assess the remineralization potential of the three dentifrices. The data were recorded and analyzed statistically. Results: Raman spectroscopic analysis revealed better remin-eralization with CPP-ACP, which was statistically significant from the groups treated with the NovaMin dentifrice and the fluoride-containing dentifrice.Confocal laser scanning microscopic examination also revealed significant differences between the three groups with the NovaMin-containing dentifrice demonstrating a greater remineralization of the surface when compared with the CPP-ACP dentifrice. The teeth samples treated with fluoride-containing dentifrice demonstrated the least reminer-alization among the three groups. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the demineralized samples of teeth treated with CPP-ACP showed the highest concentration of phosphate ions when analyzed using Raman spectroscopy, and the microscopic examination using confocal laser revealed a better surface remineralization of the demin-eralized samples when treated with the NovaMin technology. Clinical significance: There is a great need to find ways to enhance the remineralization process and transfer such knowledge into clinical therapy to alter caries balance for the better, especially in individuals with a high cariogenic bacterial challenge. Keywords: Casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate, Fluoride, NovaMin, Remineralization, Tricalcium phosphate.