Dentin surface and dentinal tubules

Dentin is the mineralized tissue of the tooth that supports the enamel and surrounds the pulp (Goldberg et al., 2011). It is characterized by the presence of dentinal tubules, microscopic channels that house odontoblastic processes and facilitate fluid movement (Miglani et al., 2010). According to the hydrodynamic theory, the movement of fluid within these tubules in response to external stimuli triggers mechanoreceptors in the pulp, resulting in the sensation of pain (Brännström, 1963). In clinical pharmacology, the dentin surface and its tubules are the primary targets for treating dentin hypersensitivity and managing dental caries. Therapeutic strategies focus on the physical occlusion of these tubules using agents like calcium sodium phosphosilicate or the chemical desensitization of nerve fibers using potassium salts (Orchardson & Gillam, 2006). Although it is an anatomical structure rather than a single molecular receptor, it serves as the functional interface for numerous dental drug delivery systems and restorative materials.

Other names

Dentinal tubulesDentin matrixDentinal canaliculiDentin-pulp complex

Physical occlusion of dentinal tubules to inhibit hydrodynamic fluid movement; chemical depolarization of intradental nerve fibers to block pain signal transmission.