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Preservation of the negative image of tooth enamel with dental impression material enhances morphometric measurements of gingival overgrowth
Author(s) -
Miller Marian L.,
Andringa Anastasia,
Turner Lloyd T.,
Dalton Timothy P.,
Derkenne Sandrine,
Nebert Daniel W.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/jemt.10293
Subject(s) - crown (dentistry) , enamel paint , bone decalcification , dentistry , dentin , gelatin , impression , medicine , biology , computer science , biochemistry , world wide web
Gingival overgrowth is a common health problem caused by genetic and environmental risk factors. Animal models for quantitative histological studies are needed to uncover genetic predisposition and dose‐response data that might put individuals at increased risk for gingival disease. Gingival height, thickness, inflammation, and the degree of encroachment of gingiva over the tooth, are clinical measures of overgrowth; most of these parameters can be measured histologically, but in order to quantify gingival coverage of the tooth, the image of the crown must be present. Tooth and bone typically require decalcification for histology; thus, the tooth crown, a critical landmark, is lost. We describe a method for imaging the crown histologically, using impression materials applied to dissected mouse mandibles. Four dental alginates, three polyvinyl siloxanes, and one polyether and gelatin were used. The impression‐material/mandibular tissue blocks were processed routinely. Polyvinyl siloxanes were incompatible with embedding resin; alginates, polyether and gelatin could be fixed, decalcified, embedded, and sectioned. Alginates and gelatin could be stained. Success in imaging the tooth crown varied with the preparation, but the alginates, polyether, and gelatin permitted a useful degree of measurement of exposed crown and enamel thickness, along with other morphometric parameters such as thickness of the dentin, lateral mandibular ramus, rete pegs, height of the gingiva, and volume density of vessels and inflammatory cells in the lamina propria. In conclusion, this new application for impression materials allows gingival coverage of tooth crown, as well as numerous other parameters to be measured for comparison with clinical data. Microsc. Res. Tech. 60:528–536, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.