Visualising the course of dentinal tubules

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A Study to visualise the course of dentinal tubules from the oral cavity to the dental pulp

• IRAS ID

  295258

• Contact name

  Nicola West

• Contact email

  n.x.west@bristol.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Bristol

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Dentine hypersensitivity is an unpleasant condition in which sufferers experience a short sharp pain in response to stimuli in the mouth such as cold or sweet foods, and has recently been shown to affect 42% of 18-35 year olds in Europe. Dentine is found between the pulp cavity in the centre of the tooth which contains the tooth’s nerves and the outer covering of the tooth. Fluid filled dentine tubules run through the dentine from the pulp to the outer covering. Dentine becomes exposed to the mouth if the outer covering wears away, this is more common in the root wear the covering is less hard. Exposed dentine can be sensitive if there is nothing covering the surface of the tubules and it is thought that the pain of sensitivity is caused by the movement of the fluid in the tubules, but the way this happens is not all that well understood. However sometimes tubules appear to be uncovered and are not sensitive.
  We want to look in dentine tubules from sensitive and non-sensitive teeth to see how they differ. To do this we will collect teeth from patients aged 12 or over who are due to have a tooth extracted as part of their routine dental treatment. Prior to extraction, the tooth will be tested for sensitivity. Sensitive and non- sensitive teeth will be examined for differences in their dental tubules pulp using laboratory techniques including a camera that can see inside these tiny tubules

• REC name

  London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  21/PR/0653

• Date of REC Opinion

  4 Jun 2021

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion