My research uses a conditional knockout mouse model in which I delete transforming growth factor beta in bone and tooth progenitors. These mice demonstrate bone and tooth abnormalities and surprisingly, reduced tooth innervation. Tooth innervation serves to protect the organ during daily oral activities, such as chewing, as well as protect the organ from noxious infections. As such, I also perform a tooth injury in which I damage the tooth dentin and investigate the neuronal-mesenchymal crosstalk involved in tooth repair.