This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Foster, E. Articles by Robinson, P.P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Foster, E. Articles by Robinson, P.P. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The Effect of Nerve Injury on the Incidence and Distribution of Branched Pulpal Axons in the Ferret

Departments of Biomedical Science, School of Clinical Dentistry, Claremont Crescent, Sheffield S10 2TA, United Kingdom

P.P. Robinson

Departments of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Clinical Dentistry, Claremont Crescent, Sheffield S10 2TA, United Kingdom

In a previous electrophysiological study in ferrets, we demonstrated that some axons in the inferior alveolar nerve branch to supply the pulps of two teeth. We have now investigated the incidence and distribution of branched pulpal axons at various intervals after nerve injury and subsequent regeneration, to study the extent to which the innervation of the teeth returns to normal. In adult male ferrets under anesthesia, the left inferior alveolar nerve was either sectioned (31 animals) or crushed (10 animals). Following recovery periods of six weeks, three months, or one year after nerve section and three months after nerve crush, electrophysiological recordings were made by insertion of pairs of Ag/AgCl electrodes into cavities cut into left mandibular teeth. Electrical stimuli were applied to each tooth in turn, and averaged responses were recorded individually from the other teeth. Latency and amplitude of the action potentials were used to characterize responses from branched pulpal axons. For some branched units, the point of branching was established by determination of the site of the inferior alveolar nerve section which abolished the response. When compared with controls, the results indicated that, following short recovery periods after nerve section, there was an increase in the number of branched pulpal axons supplying non-adjacent teeth, and this branching had occurred at the initial site of nerve injury. Following long recovery periods, there were fewer branched axons than at earlier stages of recovery, but this apparent remodeling had not selectively eliminated axons which branched at the injury site to supply widely separated targets. Nerve crush injury resulted in no increase in the incidence of branched pulpal axons, and branching at the injury site was rare. We conclude that nerve section, but not nerve crush, alters the incidence and distribution of branched pulpal axons.

Key Words: Axons • Trigeminal Nerve • Dental Pulp • Ferrets

Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 73, No. 12, 1803-1810 (1994)
DOI: 10.1177/00220345940730120301


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K.G. Smith and P.P. Robinson The Re-innervation of the Tongue and Salivary Glands after Lingual Nerve Repair by Stretch, Sural Nerve Graft or Frozen Muscle Graft Journal of Dental Research, December 1, 1995; 74(12): 1850 - 1860. [Abstract] [PDF]