Aberrant occlusal sensitivity in adults with increased somatosensory amplification: a case-control study

Occlusal sensitivity (OS)—the ability to detect fine objects between opposing teeth—mainly relies on the activity of mechanoreceptors located in the periodontal ligament. We tested whether somatosensory amplification (SSA)—the tendency to perceive normal somatic sensations as being intense, noxious, and disturbing, which plays a critical role in hypervigilance—affects OS.

We measured OS in 66 adults divided into three groups based on their SSA scores (LowSSA, Intermediate - IntSSA, HighSSA) by asking them to bite on aluminum foils (8 to 72 μm thick) and a sham foil, and report whether they felt each foil. We performed 20 trials for each thickness and sham condition (each participant was tested 120 times), and compared the frequency of correct answers (%correct) among groups after adjusting for participants’ trait anxiety, depression, self-reported oral behaviors, and masseter cross-sectional area.

%correct was affected by the interaction Foil Thickness-by-SSA (p = 0.007). When tested with the 8 μm foil, the HighSSA group had a lower %correct than the IntSSA (contrast estimate [95% CI]: -14.2 [-25.8 – -2.6]; p = 0.012) and the LowSSA groups (-19.1 [-31.5 – -6.6]; p = 0.001). Similarly, with the 24 μm foil, the HighSSA group had a lower %correct compared to the IntSSA (-12.4 [-24.8–0.1]; p = 0.048) and the LowSSA groups (-10.8 [-22.5–0.8]; p = 0.073).

Individuals with high SSA present with an aberrant occlusal sensitivity.

Our findings provide novel insights into the relationship between occlusal perception and psychological factors, which may influence an individual’s ability to adapt to dental work.