Research progress of TACAN’s involvement in orthodontic mechanical pain modulation

Orthodontic treatment mainly improves oral function and achieves treatment goals by applying mechanical force to the jawbone and teeth. However, oral pain is the most common symptom experienced by patients during the diagnosis and treatment process. It is usually caused by sustained application of orthodontic mechanical force, but its mechanism is not fully understood, posing a significant clinical challenge. In recent years, a protein called TACAN has been discovered to play a crucial regulatory role in the occurrence and development of pain, offering a potential therapeutic target for addressing mechanical pain in the future. Since research on TACAN is still unclear, its specific mechanism requires further elucidation and verification. This article systematically reviews the research progress of TACAN’s involvement in the modulation of mechanical pain, summarizes the specific functions of TACAN, and provides new perspectives for further research on TACAN.