Comparison of the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy in the control of oral pain conditions

Introduction: Pain, which accompanies the everyday life of dentists and their patients, can have various features—it can be spontaneous or provoked, with clear or vague etiology, iatrogenic, psychogenic or neuropathic one. Our main goal as professionals is to control pain and improve our patients’ personal and social life. Two of the oral pain conditions are still a challenge for us—burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and dentin hypersensitivity (DHS). Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been considered as a suitable treatment approach for both of them.Aim: Our purpose is to compare the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy in the control of two different oral pain conditions.Materials and Methods: Individuals with different oral pain conditions are object of the study. They are divided into two groups—patients with primary BMS and patients with dentin hypersensitivity. Both genders and all age groups are included.Diode laser with two different wavelengths (λ = 904 nm and λ = 658 nm) is used for the treatment protocol. The BMS cases are irradiated 10 times, and DHS cases—6 times. Pain is evaluated through visual analogue scale (BMS) or a specific 4-point scale (DHS).Results: There is an improvement of symptoms in both studied groups; however, LLLT seems to be slightly more effective in the treatment of BMS.Conclusion: Low-level laser therapy is effective, safe, easily applicable and relatively cheap treatment method for oral pain conditions

Pathogenesis of dentin hypersensitivity

Дентинната свръхчувствителност е много разпространен проблем (засяга от 4 до 57% от населението). Различни научни изследвания вече над 100 години се опитват да открият механизма на протичането му. В изучаването му са прилагани различни диагностични подходи и тестове. В търсене на разрешаването му са изследвани многообразие от лечебни средства, методи и комбинации от тях, но до момента не е постигнат задоволителен по степен и продължителност ефект. Причината е, че въпреки че има много теории, обясняващи това състояние, точният му механизъм не е напълно изяснен.Dentin hypersensitivity is a relatively common problem experienced in dental practices (affecting 4 to 57% of world population). Many researches are trying to prove the mechanism of its course for more than 100 years. Different diagnostic approaches are tested. Many treatment methods (single or combined) are investigated in different researches, but nobody achieved any satisfactory results in efficacy and long duration of treatment till now. The possible explanation of this is the lack of proven theory, explaining mechanism of DH

Dental erosion as a manifestation of Sjogren's syndrome

Introduction: Dental erosion is the loss of dental hard tissue by a chemical process not involving bacteria. It has a multifactorial origin and could be observed as a manifestation of different diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome.Materials and Methods: The article reports a clinical case of a 57-year-old patient with erosive defects on the entire dentition and problems with saliva secretion.Diagnosis was made by using ultrasound examination and chairside test for evaluation of saliva properties.Results: The results from the chairside test revealed poor quality of the stimulated and resting saliva. The ultrasound examination showed a total change in the structure of the tissues of all salivary glands.Conclusion: Dental health should not be treated as an isolated body condition - it is part of the whole organism. The intraoral examination can be essential for the discovery of some systemic diseases

Dentin Hypersensitivity – Social, Diagnostic and Treatment Aspects // Дентинна свръхчувствителност – социални, диагностични и лечебни аспекти

Dentin hypersensitivity is a global health problem, affecting many persons, male and female, and from different age groups. A small part of them is looking for professional dental help or advice but the interest of solving the problem is raising recently. It is considered extremely important introducing regular screening for patients with dentin hypersensitivity and estimating of effective diagnostic and therapeutic agents and methods. Research in this area focuses on several key points: clear definition of the condition, awareness of epidemiology and etiology of problem, optimizing of diagnostic aspect and creating prophylactic approach in the clinical management of the problem. The ultimate goal is to create an adequate strategy, dealing with dentin hypersensitivity offering effective options for people suffering from it.Дентинната свръхчувствителност (ДСЧ) е глобален здравен проблем, засягащ много индивиди от двата пола и в различни възрастови групи. И въпреки, че малка част от тях търсят професионален съвет и помощ от дентални специалисти, интересът към проблема от страна на последните се засилва все повече в последните години. Смята се, че е изключително важно въвеждането на регулярен скрининг на пациентите с дентинова свръхчувствителност и утвърждаването на ефикасни диагностични и лечебни средства и методи. Научните изследвания в областта акцентират върху няколко основни момента: еднозначно дефиниране на състоянието, информираност относно епидемиологията и етиологията му, оптимизиране на диагностиката и утвърждаване на профилактичния подход в клиничното справяне с проблема. Крайната цел е създаване на адекватна стратегия за справяне с дентинната свръхчувствителност, предлагаща ефикасни опции за хората, страдащи от нея