Plasma and dentinal proteins

Plasma and dentinal proteins refer to the collective group of proteins found within the dentinal tubules and the dentin matrix, including serum albumin, immunoglobulins, and various collagenous and non-collagenous proteins. In restorative dentistry and endodontics, these proteins serve as a non-specific therapeutic target for desensitizing agents such as glutaraldehyde. When these agents are applied, they induce the cross-linking and precipitation of these proteins, creating a biological plug or 'coagulum' that occludes the dentinal tubules. This occlusion prevents the rapid movement of dentinal fluid in response to external stimuli, effectively treating dentin hypersensitivity according to the hydrodynamic theory. While clinically useful, this target is considered 'incorrect' or poorly defined in a pharmacological sense because it represents a heterogeneous mixture of proteins rather than a single molecular entity, and its modification is primarily used for physical rather than biochemical signaling purposes.

Other names

Dentinal fluid proteinsSerum albumin in dentinIntratubular proteins

Cross-linking of proteins within the dentinal tubules to form a precipitate or coagulum that physically occludes the tubule, thereby reducing hydraulic conductance and fluid movement (Brännström's hydrodynamic theory).