Vital tooth bleaching and management of post operative sensitivity: A clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of different desensitizing materials

Aim: to assess the efficacy of three desensitizing agents i.e.,5% sodium fluoride (naf),5% potassium nitrate (kno3) and casein phosphopeptide amorphous calcium phosphate (cpp-acp) in reducing the post operative sensitivity after in-office vital tooth bleaching. methods: the cross-sectional study was conducted at department of operative dentistry,dental section,punjab medical college,faisalabad from 1st january 2016 to 30th june 2016. thirty patients were selected as candidate for vital bleaching having mild to moderate fluorosis according to deans' index criteria. these patients were categorized into three groups. after an in-office bleaching the first group was treated with casein phosphopeptide amorphous calcium phosphate (cpp-acp),the second group was treated with 5% sodium fluoride (naf) varnish and the third one with 5% potassium nitrate (kno3) on the anterior teeth after being subjected to vital bleaching. the applications of desensitizing agents were continued after 10 days interval i.e. three times a month. the sensitivity was checked on alternating days using visual analogue scale (vas) for up to one month. the mean was taken to evaluate the final results. results: the result is significant at p value <0.05. so the null hypothesis is rejected. there is difference in the efficacy among the three applied desensitizing agents. conclusion: cpp-acp is more effective in reducing the sensitivity and the other two materials are having nearly the same efficacy.