Peripheral dentinal sensory nerve endings

Peripheral dentinal sensory nerve endings are the terminal branches of the trigeminal nerve, primarily consisting of myelinated A-delta and unmyelinated C-fibers, located within the dental pulp and extending into the inner portion of the dentinal tubules. These nerve endings are the primary mediators of dental pain, translating mechanical, thermal, and chemical stimuli into electrical signals through mechanisms such as the hydrodynamic theory, where fluid movement in the tubules triggers neural excitation (StatPearls, 2023). In clinical conditions like dentin hypersensitivity, the exposure of these tubules leads to acute pain responses to non-noxious stimuli. Pharmacological management typically involves the use of local anesthetics like lidocaine to block voltage-gated sodium channels or desensitizing agents like potassium nitrate that increase extracellular potassium to prevent nerve repolarization (PubMed, PMID: 16355646). While these endings are a critical site for pain intervention, the term refers to an anatomical structure containing multiple molecular targets rather than a single discrete molecule.

Other names

Intradental nerve endingsDentinal nociceptorsPulpal nerve endingsA-delta and C-fibers of the dental pulp

Inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels to block action potential propagation; elevation of extracellular potassium concentration to desensitize nerve membranes; occlusion of dentinal tubules to prevent hydrodynamic stimulation.