An in vitro analysis of the effect of adjunctive use of ozonated oil with a desensitizing agent on dentinal tubule occlusion

H R Veena; C Afigith Mathew; Riya Achamma Daniel; P Shubha; R Sreeparvathy; Neha Pradhan

doi:10.1016/j.jobcr.2020.10.001

An in vitro analysis of the effect of adjunctive use of ozonated oil with a desensitizing agent on dentinal tubule occlusion

J Oral Biol Craniofac Res. 2020 Oct-Dec;10(4):727-732. doi: 10.1016/j.jobcr.2020.10.001. Epub 2020 Oct 7.

Authors

H R Veena¹, C Afigith Mathew¹, Riya Achamma Daniel¹, P Shubha², R Sreeparvathy¹, Neha Pradhan¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Periodontics, K. L. E. Society's Institute of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, 560022, India.
² Department of Material Science, Mangalagangotri, Mangalore University, Mangalore, 574199, India.

Abstract

Introduction: Dentinal hypersensitivity (DH), is a commonly encountered clinical problem, the management of which is by two main approaches that involve blockage of nerve activity and tubular occlusion. Desensitizing agents containing arginine and calcium carbonate have emerged effective in occluding tubules. Ozone removes the smear layer and opens up the dentinal tubules for easy penetration of these desensitizing agents.

Objective: To comparatively evaluate the effect of ozonated oil on the patency and occlusion of dentinal tubules with and without adjunctive application of a desensitizing agent containing arginine.

Materials and methods: 80 dentin specimens that were distributed into 4 groups as Group 1 (control), Group 2 (ozonated oil), Group 3 (desensitizing agent) and Group 4 (desensitizing agent following the application of ozonated oil), underwent an acid challenge. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images of the dentin specimens were obtained prior to any treatment, after the application of the therapeutic agents and after acid challenge and mean tubule occlusion scores were recorded in each case employing a suitable scoring system. The statistical analysis employed One-way ANOVA test followed by Tukey's Post hoc test and Student Paired t-test for intergroup and intragroup comparisons of the mean tubule occlusion scores respectively.

Results: Group 2, treated with ozonated oil alone showed a statistically significant increase in the number of open dentinal tubules. Group 4 showed more compact deposits of desensitizing agent and more densely occluded tubules as compared to Group 3 which was more retained in the former even after acid challenge.

Conclusion: Adjunctive application of the desensitizing agent containing arginine, with ozonated oil has a synergistic effect, where the latter causes opening of dentinal tubules allowing more compact penetration of the former and thus may be a potentially more effective treatment approach in the management of DH.

Keywords: Arginine; Dentin desensitizing agents; Dentin sensitivity; Ozone.