Thresholds to electrical stimulation of nerves in cat canine tooth-pulp with A beta-, A delta- and C-fibre conduction velocities.

The thresholds to electrical stimulation and the conduction velocities of nerve fibres supplying the pulp of cat canine teeth have been determined. Compound action potentials and the responses of 80 single units were recorded from the inferior alveolar nerve. The properties of 4 types of coronal stimulating electrode were compared. In the single unit studies separate estimates of intradental and extradental conduction velocity of the fibres were obtained by stimulating the pulp in the crown and in the root of the tooth. The units had extradental conduction velocities ranging from 57.7 to 0.9 m . s-1 and therefore included A beta-, A delta- and C-fibres. The thresholds of the units to coronal stimulation ranged from 7 microA, 0.1 ms to 805 microA, 1.0 ms.