Dentine hypersensitivity. The development and evaluation of a replica technique to study sensitive and non-sensitive cervical dentine.

Studies of extracted teeth have shown that teeth exhibiting dentine hypersensitivity have larger numbers of widened dentinal tubules at the dentine surface compared to non-sensitive teeth. Many compounds used in the treatment of dentine hypersensitivity are thought to achieve therapeutic benefit by tubule occlusion, but there has been almost no attempt to prove such action in vivo. These studies systematically determined whether the dentine surface could be evaluated non-invasively, by a scanning electron microscopic replica technique. Employing a silicone rubber impression method in vitro, the surface detail of dentine could be accurately replicated, with surface scratches, tubules and intratubular structures on the original reproduced on the replica. With attention to method, similar accuracy was achieved in vivo, particularly when tubules were open on the dentine surfaces of the original. The method would appear useful for the study of the dentine surface in cases of dentine hypersensitivity and could prove the first objective method of studying the effects of treatment agents used in the treatment of this painful condition.