Periodontal mechanoreceptors innervate natural teeth and signal information to the brain about temporal, spatial and intensive aspects of tooth loads. In the present review, will be present the basic force-encoding properties of human periodontal receptors. Most receptors are broadl tuned to the direction of force application, and about half respond to forces applied to more that one tooth.
Populations of periodontal receptors reliably encode information about both the teeth stimulated, and the directions of forces applied to the individual teeth. Information about the magnitude of tooth loads is made available in mean firing rate response of periodontal responses. Most receptors exhibit a markedly curved relationship between discharge rate and forces amplitude, featuring the highest sensitivity to changes in tooth load at very low forces levels (below 1N for anterior teeth and 4N for posterior teeth).