TOOTH PREPARATION and PULPAL RESPONSE: Literature Review

Pulp tissue reaction to tooth preparation for direct or indirect restorations is one of the major concerns in fixed prosthodontics. although the sensitivity of dentine to a variety of stimuli is difficult to correlate with morphological and functional observations, hydrodynamic theory was used to explain dental pain mechanism. external stimuli (e.g., thermal, mechanical and dental restorative processes) applied to human tooth cause either an inward (toward the pulp chamber) or outward (away from the pulp chamber) dentinal fluid flow in dentinal microtubules. a rapid shift of tubule content may activate a and c fibers. outward dentinal fluid shift is more effective than inward movement to activate mechanoreceptors. tooth preparations should be performed with use of short grinding intervals and cooling water temperature and special care should be concerned on bur selection because of possible thermal damage to the dental pulp.