title: Pulp responses to precise thermal stimuli in dentin-sensitive teeth.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether pulpal responses to cold temperatures applied to enamel, using a method that precisely controls the intensity of the cold stimulus or measures the response time, could distinguish dentin-sensitive teeth from nonsensitive teeth. Eighteen human subjects were stimulated with cold temperatures decreasing in 5 degree C intervals (and with tetrafluoroethane) on exposed root and enamel of a dentin-sensitive tooth and enamel of a contralateral nonsensitive tooth. Pain threshold, intensity of pain, time to pain onset, and duration of pain at baseline, 4 h, 8 h, and 1 week were measured. Responses to enamel stimulation of sensitive teeth compared with the nonsensitive teeth usually were highly correlated and not significantly different. The exception was a longer duration of pain in the dentin-sensitive teeth (4.62 +/- 0.47 s) compared with nonsensitive teeth (2.92 +/- 0.49 s; p = 0.016) after enamel stimulation with tetrafluoroethane. Longitudinal studies are necessary to determine whether these slight increases in pain duration indicate an increased probability of pulpal degeneration or need for dentin protection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Specialties, College of Dentistry, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 40th and Holdrege Streets, Lincoln, NE 68583-0757, USA.
authors.forename: Clifford S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Leffingwell
authors.forename: Trudy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Meinberg
authors.forename: Joshua G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Tom G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Gound
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Marx
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Reinhardt
mesh_terms: D003080:Cold Temperature; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000503:physiopathology; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003791:Dental Pulp Test; D003804:Dentin / Q000503:physiopathology; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004980:Ethane; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013997:Time Factors; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D005466:Fluorocarbons; D004980:Ethane