Clinician*s Guide to the Diagnosis and Management of Tooth Sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity, or dentin hypersensitivity, has a high prevalence among the general population and is a very common cause of visits to the dentist. This concise, easy-to-read guide provides the clinician with the most important information required for the correct diagnosis and effective management of dentin hypersensitivity. After discussion of theories regarding the underlying mechanisms, predisposing medical and dental conditions are reviewed. The route to an accurate diagnosis, based on determination of the precise cause, is then explained. A range of potential treatment approaches and their applications are discussed, including dentin blocking agents, nerve desensitization, restorative approaches and periodontal surgery. Preventive, at-home and in-office treatment modalities are all described and future treatments are also considered. Helpful flowcharts are included that will facilitate decision making.​

Sahar T. Taha gained her Bachelor of Dental Science (B.D.S.) from the University of Jordan in 2004 and then completed a Master of Science (M.S.) in Restorative Dentistry at the University of Michigan, USA. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Operative Dentistry and the Jordanian Board of Conservative Dentistry. She is currently Assistant Professor at the Conservative Dentistry and Prosthodontics Department, School of Dentistry, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan and also a Consultant at the Clinical Dentistry Department, Jordan University Hospital. In April 2010, Dr. Taha completed a research thesis on synthetic enamel paste in the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity and is in the process of applying for a patent for the formulated product; the research has also led to the publication of articles in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Taha is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice.

Brian H. Clarkson, B.Ch.D., L.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., is a Professor at the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences, and Endodontics, School of Dentistry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He is a past Chair of the Department and has held the Clifford T. Nelson Endowed Professorship since 1992, when he joined the University of Michigan. Prior to that he was Professor and Head of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics at the University of Connecticut Health Center and Director of the Specialized Caries Center at the University of Iowa. In 2007 Professor Clarkson was awarded the ORCA Prize and also received a Distinguished Alumnus Award – Dentistry from the University of Rochester. The following year he served as President of the American Association of Dental Research (AADR). Professor Clarkson has also held numerous other offices, including as President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Section of Dentistry. He is the author of numerous journal articlesand editorials and has served on the editorial board of Pediatric Dentistry, Journal of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, since 1995.