“Ouch! That hurt!” Anna exclaims as she puts her glass of clinking ice cubes down on the table and runs her tongue over the offending tooth. She’s been feeling this stabbing pain only since she got her tooth fixed with an inlay. She's quite sure of that. It’s even worse than the pain she’s felt in some sensitive areas of her teeth close to the gums. The dental staff at the practice had recommended that she have her teeth cleaned professionally more often. But, Anna can't begin to imagine the pain she would have to endure when this tooth would be exposed to blown air, scraping and rinsing. “No way! I’m going to cancel my upcoming dental hygiene appointment!” she says to herself. “First the dentist will have to make sure that this molar doesn’t bother me any longer.”

The literature does not reveal anything conclusive about the prevalence of hypersensitive teeth. The figures of epidemiological studies from all over the world fluctuate between 3% and 98%.^[1]

In clinical practice, patients who complain about sensitive teeth – predominantly in relation to cold – are seen on a daily basis. Patients between the ages of 29 and 49 seem to be the most commonly affected^[2], with more women than men^[1] in the mix. Experience has shown that most patients who suffer from periodontitis have sensitive teeth.^[3]

Treatment strategies are generally focused on occluding open dentine tubules. This is relatively easy to accomplish in exposed tooth necks. However, the situation is more complicated when it involves post-operative sensitivity: Treatment in the strict sense is not possible in this case. If sensitivity persists over time, the only solution is to remove the restoration. However, this is extremely frustrating for the patient and highly dissatisfying for the clinician.

As a result, the additional application of a special desensitising agent seems to offer the only alternative; or is there another option?

Why not use Adhese Universal right from the start? The adhesive features an integrated desensitizing effect: Adhese Universal automatically creates a mechanical barrier and seals dentine tubules. Consequently, a homogeneous adhesive layer showing pronounced tags is produced, which forms a reliable seal.

Because of the product's integrated desensitising action, it is not necessary to use a separate desensitizing agent in order to prevent tooth sensitivity. Therefore, one treatment step is saved, including the associated expenditure of time and product. Furthermore, your patient is saved the discomfort of post-operative pain.

Adhese Universal is a light-cured single-component adhesive for bonding direct and indirect restorations. It is compatible with all etching protocols^[4] - #FullFlexibility. It is designed to streamline your workflow and make your clinical work easier:

• In combination with OptraGate, which ensures effective relative isolation

• In relation to the unique VivaPen as a special user-friendly and economical application option

• In terms of excellent coordination with the composites of the Tetric product line

Wetting and tubule infiltration, under wet or dry conditions, is initiated upon contact with the hydrophilic solvents and methacrylate monomers contained in Adhese Universal. In addition, the acidic components precipitate as insoluble calcium ion salts in the dentin. This assists in the mechanical occlusion and sealing of the dentinal tubules. The integrated desensitising effect, therefore, prevents the movement of fluids within the tubules, which in turn minimises the risk of micro-leakage and post-operative sensitivity.

^[1] Splieth CH, Tachou A. Epidemiology of dentin hypersensitivity. Clin Oral Investig. 2013;17 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S3-S8. doi:10.1007/s00784-012-0889-8
^[2] Abuzinadah SH, Alhaddad AJ. A randomized clinical trial of dentin hypersensitivity reduction over one month after a single topical application of comparable materials. Sci Rep 11, 6793 (2021). doi:10.1038/s41598-021-86258-3
^[3] Chabinski MB, Gillam DG, Bulman J, Newman HN (1996) Prevalence of cervical dentine sensitivity in a population of patients referred to a specialist Periodontology Department. J Clin Periodontol 23:989–992. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.1996.tb00525.x
^[4] Except in cases where sufficient exposure to curing light cannot be ensured (e.g. Adhesive cementation of endodontic posts)