Introduction: Dentine hypersensitivity has been defined as a sharp, short pain arising from exposed dentin in response to stimuli typically thermal, evaporative tactile, osmoticor, chemical and which cannot be ascribed to any other form of dental defect or pathology.
Prevalence: The most affected patients range in age from 20 to 40. The following teeth tend to be most sensitive: cuspids, premnolars and incisors, location-concentrated on the facial surface. MORPHOLOGICAL BASES OF DENTINE HYPERSENSITIVITY: Sensitive teeth have much greater numbers of open tubules per unit area and the average diameter of tubules is almost 2 times greater than tubules in nonsensitive teeth. MECHANISMS OF DENTINE HYPERSENSITIVITY: The most widely accepted theory of how the pain occurs is Brannstroms theory.
Etiology: Dentine hypersensitivity represents a condition of presumable multifactorial pathology. Two processes are essential for its development: (1) dentin must be exposed through either genetic disturbance, enamel defect (lamellae, tufs and spindles), loss of enamel (erosion, abrasion, attrition, abfraction), gingival recession with rapid loss of cementum and (2) the dentin tubules must be open to both the oral cavity and the pulp.
Diagnosis: Diagnostic protocol for this condition consisted of Medical, Dental Dietary, Oral Hygiene History and Inra-oral examinations with air indexing method. Differential Dianosis: We must take into consideration a numnber of variables such as: dental caries, cracked tooth, restorative sensitivity, medication sensitivity, bleaching sensitivity and abscessed or non-vital tooth.
Conclusion: Dentin hypersensitivity is a problem that bothers many patients. Many conditions share the symptoms of tooth sensitivity so differential diagnosis is essential for suitable treatment or preventive measures.