Premium
The significance of alveolar bone in periodontal disease
Author(s) -
Nyman Sture,
Ericsson Ingvar,
Runstad Lilian,
Karring Thorkild
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of periodontal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.31
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0765
pISSN - 0022-3484
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1984.tb01307.x
Subject(s) - connective tissue , cementum , dental alveolus , dentistry , medicine , gingival margin , buccal administration , gingival and periodontal pocket , lesion , molar , periodontitis , pathology , dentin
The present experiment was designed to study if a gingival unit with a long supraalveolar connective tissue attachment provides less resistance against progression of periodontal disease than a unit with a supraalveolar connective tissue attachment of normal length. A long supraalveolar connective tissue attachment was established at the buccal aspect of mandibular premolars and molars in dogs by surgical removal of the marginal portion of the buccal alveolar bone after elevation of a muco‐periosteal flap. Attempts were made to minimize mechanical injury to the root cementum and the supraalveolar fibrous attachment during the surgical procedure. Contralateral, non‐operated teeth with a supraalveolar connective tissue attachment of normal length were used as controls. Following surgery, plaque control was initiated and maintained for 3 months by topical application of 0.2% chlorhexidine digluconate solution twice daily. During the following 6 months, the oral hygiene measures were abandoned and plaque was allowed to accumulate on both groups of teeth. In order to enhance plaque formation and to promote the development of subgingival plaque, cotton floss ligatures were placed at the entrance of the gingival sulci. The dogs were sacrificed 6 months after the initiation of the plaque accumulation period. The jaws were removed and histological sections prepared of test and control teeth including their surrounding periodontal tissues. The histological analysis revealed that the plaque induced inflammatory lesion in the gingival connective tissue did not extend more apically in sites with a long supraalveolar connective tissue attachment than in sites with a supraalveolar fibrous attachment of normal length. A small but statistically significant loss of connective tissue attachment had occurred in both groups of teeth. This attachment loss, however, was similar in sites with a long supraalveolar connective tissue attachment and in sites with a supraalveolar fibrous attachment of normal length. These findings suggest that the loss of attachment in periodontal disease is unrelated to the presence or absence of the bony component of the periodontium.