Clinical evaluation of oxalate based desensitizer on reduction of postoperative sensitivity of amalgam restorations

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo and in vitro effectiveness of an oxalate based desensitizer, a total-etch adhesive, the combined used of these agents and a copal varnish on postoperative sensitivity after amalgam restorations of primary teeth. 100 primary molar teeth with class I carious lesions were selected through the patients between the ages of 7-10. After cavity preparation, teeth were assigned to 4 groups according to a randomized block designGroup 1: Smartprotect® (oxalate based desensitizer)Group 2: Adper Single BondTM 2 (total-etch adhesive)Group 3: Smartprotect® + Adper Single BondTM 2Group 4: Copal varnishThe cavities were filled with high copper amalgam. The time taken for a subject to respond to a standardized cold stimulus was recorded at 24 hours, one week, one month and three months after treatment. Two teeth from each group were selected for evaluating the dentinal tubules by scanning electron microscophic (SEM) observation. Three teeth from each group were extracted in their exfoliation time and histopathologic evaluation was carried out. As a result of this study, no significant statistical differences in postoperative dentin hypersensitivity after amalgam restorations was found within each group in 1, 7, 30 and 90 day (p>0.05). In addition to that the incidence of dentin hypersensitivity decreased as the amount of remaining dentin thickness. Dentin tubules were fully occluded for all four groups as the result of SEM observation. Histological evaluation demonstrated that there was no significant differences between the pulpal responses of all 4 groups.