Calcium hydroxide and potassium nitrate as desensitizing agents for hypersensitive root surfaces.

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate calcium hydroxide and potassium nitrate individually as densensitizing agents for hypersensitive root surfaces. The apparatus used in the experiment to measure hypersensitivity was (a) a thermo-electric stimulating device to measure hot and cold stimulation quantitatively and (b) a mechanical stimulating device to measure scratch stimulation quantitatively. The conclusions drawn from the study were: 1. Calcium hydroxide was more consistently effective in decreasing sensitivity then was potassium nitrate or the control. 2. Calcium hydroxide as compared to the control was statistically (99% level of significance) more effective in reducing sensitivity to mechanical, hot and cold stimulation immediately and at the conclusion of the experiment (3 months). 3. It appears that calcium hydroxide could be used as a desensitizing agent initially following periodontal surgery to reduce pain from hypersensitive roots in order that proper oral hygiene could be reestablished.