This bibliographic review provides a general view of the etiology, characteristics and treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity, so that professionals can use this information in the therapeutic management of this clinical condition. For this purpose, the authors have analyzed whole texts of relevant articles on the subject. This study showed that the predisposing factors associated with the causes of dentinal hypersensitivity must be controlled or eliminated, by educating the patient regarding the excessive intake of acidic food, as well as providing guidance on the proper tooth brushing technique and analysis of occlusion. Effective treatment must be preceded by a proper diagnosis, established after the exclusion of any other possible causes of the pain. These cases must be managed efficiently, quickly and permanently. The availability of a wide variety of treatment could be an indicator that there is still no effective desensitizing agent to completely resolve the patient's discomfort, or that it is difficult to treat, irrespective of the available treatment options. Even with the large number of published studies, it has not been possible to reach a consensus about the product that represents the gold standard in the treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity.

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This study was designed to evaluate in vitro the efficacy of a novel at-home bleaching technique using 10% or 16% carbamide peroxide modified by casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) and its influence on the microhardness of bleached enamel. A total of 40 bovine incisors were divided into four groups (n=10) according to the bleaching agent used: 10% carbamide peroxide only; a blend of 10% carbamide peroxide and a CPP-ACP paste; 16% carbamide peroxide only; and a blend of 16% carbamide peroxide and a CPP-ACP paste. During the 14-day bleaching regimen, the samples were stored in artificial saliva. The Vickers microhardness and color of the teeth were assessed at baseline (T0) and immediately after the bleaching regimen (T14) using a microhardness tester and a spectrophotometer, respectively. The degree of color change was determined by the Commission Internationale de l'Eclariage (CIE) L*a*b* system (ΔE, ΔL*, Δa*, and Δb*) and Vita shade guide parameters. The data were analyzed by analysis of variance and the Tukey test (p<0.05). The teeth that were bleached with a blend of peroxide (10% or 16%) and the CPP-ACP paste presented increased microhardness values at T14 compared with T0, whereas the samples that were bleached with peroxide only did not show any differences in their microhardness values. All of the bleaching agents were effective at whitening the teeth and did not show a statistically significant difference using the CIEL*a*b* system (ΔE, ΔL*, Δa*, and Δb*) or the Vita shade guide parameters. The use of a CPP-ACP paste with carbamide peroxide bleaching agents increased the bleached enamel's microhardness and did not have an influence on whitening efficacy.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the progression of sealed non‐cavitated dentinal occlusal caries in a randomised controlled clinical trial. Materials and methods: Sixty teeth with non‐cavitated dentinal occlusal caries were selected in patients with a high risk for caries. Patients were randomly divided into two groups so that each group included 30 teeth. Patients in the experiment group were given oral hygiene instructions and a fissure sealant. Patients in the control group were given oral hygiene instructions only. Caries progression and sealant loss were monitored over a period of 36 months by clinical and radiographic examinations. Results: Clinical and radiographic progression of caries was significantly more frequent in the control group than in the experiment group. Three teeth lost their sealant and showed caries progression, but this was apparent only at the 12‐month follow‐up. At the 24‐ and 36‐month recall appointments, neither sealant loss nor caries progression were observed. Conclusion: The pit and fissure sealant utilised in this study was shown to be effective in arresting carious lesions at 36 months.

Although in-office bleaching has been proven successful for bleaching teeth, controversy exists from morphological alterations in enamel morphology due to mineral loss and tooth sensitivity. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a novel in-office tooth bleaching technique modified with a casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) paste (MI paste-MI) and its effect on the enamel morphology and tooth sensitivity. Three patients received a 35% hydrogen peroxide (Whiteness HP-HP) dental bleaching system. HP was prepared and applied on the teeth on one of the hemiarches, whilst teeth on the other hemiarch were bleached with a mixture of HP and MI. Tooth color, epoxy resin replicas, and sensitivity levels were evaluated in the upper incisors. The results were analyzed descriptively. Right and left incisors showed similar color change after bleaching. Incisors bleached with the mixture of HP and MI presented unaltered enamel surfaces and lower sensitivity levels. The currently tested tooth bleaching technique did not reduce the gel effectiveness while decreasing hypersensitivity levels and protecting the enamel against surface alterations caused by the high-concentration bleaching peroxide tested. The concomitant use of MI Paste and high-concentration hydrogen peroxide might be a successful method for decreasing tooth sensitivity and limiting changes in the enamel morphology during in-office bleaching.