Clarification of mechanisms underlying ectopic persistent pain to establish proper diagnosis and treatment assosiated with endodontic disease

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25462968
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Conservative dentistry
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: SHIMIZU Kohei 日本大学, 歯学部, 助教 (10508609)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SHINODA Masamichi 日本大学, 歯学部, 准教授 (20362238) ; HONDA Kuniya 日本大学, 歯学部, ポスト・ドクトラル・フェロー (20548945)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 関連痛 / referred pain / 異所性疼痛 / ectopic tooth pain / 歯痛 / 非歯原性歯痛 / 痛覚過敏

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is well known that the referred pain and non odontogenic toothache is frequently misdiagnosed as odontogenic toothache by dentists, and lead clinicians mistreated to irreversible dental procedures. Thus, clarification of the mechanism for the non odontogenic toothache is important.
In the present study, our results indicated that phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase in the trigeminal transition zone and laminated subnucleus caudalis has an important role for the pulpitis- or periapical periodontitis-indeced masseter hyperalgesia. Futhermore, we also clarify that TLR4-Hsp70 signaling in trigeminal ganglion neurons contributes tongue-referred pain associated with tooth pulp inflammation.

Free Research Field

歯内治療学