Scientific Interest and Publication Patterns in Odontoblast-Neuron Crosstalk Research Related to Dentinal Hypersensitivity: A Bibliometric and Altmetric Review.

Dentin hypersensitivity is a common oral condition characterized by sharp pain triggered by exposed dentin in response to external stimuli, reflecting complex interactions between dentin structure, fluid dynamics, and neural responses, although its underlying biological mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Among the proposed mechanisms of dentinal nociception, the odontoblast transducer theory suggests that odontoblasts act as sensory cells capable of detecting stimuli and activating adjacent pulpal nerve fibers. This study aimed to characterize the scientific landscape of the odontoblast transducer theory through bibliometric and altmetric analyses. A bibliometric review was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus, without restrictions on publication year, language, or study design. Publication trends, citation metrics, journals, authorship, institutions, countries, keywords, and study designs were analyzed using VOSviewer and MapChart. A total of 65 studies were included, accumulating 1986 citations. Scientific output peaked in 2015, with Japan identified as the leading contributor. Altmetric data were retrieved from Dimensions to assess online visibility and dissemination. The highest Altmetric Attention Score reached 827, indicating substantial online dissemination of studies addressing molecular mechanisms. Most studies were in vitro and focused on molecular and cellular mechanisms, particularly transient receptor potential channels and ATP-mediated signaling. Research on the odontoblast transducer theory is concentrated in specific research groups and primarily addresses molecular mechanisms, highlighting the need for translational and clinically oriented investigations.