A clinical and morphological study of cervical hypersensitivity.

One-hundred five teeth with clinically diagnosed cervical hypersensitive dentin were studied using scanning electron microscopy on replica models and electrical impedance. Thirty-two percent of the teeth were in male patients in their 40s. Maxillary premolars comprised 31%; maxillary incisors, 27%; mandibular premolars, 17%; and mandibular incisors, 15%. Scanning electron microscopy of the models of hypersensitive spots showed enlarged dentinal tubules, agglutinated dentinal tubules, belt-like groups of agglutinated dentinal tubules, and tubule morphology not clearly visible. The electrical impedance of the cervical hypersensitive dentin ranged from 15 to 150 ohms, with an average of 54 ohms. There was a significantly high correlation between the dentinal tubule morphology and dentin hypersensitivity.