Periodontal ligament tissue reactions to trauma and gingival inflammation

The aims of the present study were to analyze (i) which tissue changes may occur in the zone of co-destruction to better understand why trauma from occlusion may induce additional attachment loss, and (ii) whether changes occur in the periodontal ligament tissue when an inflammatory lesion (ICT) approaches the periodontal ligament space. 16, 1-year-old beagle dogs, were selected and divided into 2 groups, group A and group B, consisting of 6 and 10 dogs, respectively. In group A, on day 0, a bucco-lingual jiggling type movement was induced resulting in increasing tooth mobility at P3 (test tooth) by the application of an orthodontic elastic which traversed the buccal surface of the crown of the test tooth. The elastic was exchanged either in a buccal or in a lingual position 2x a week during a 3-month period. 3P served as non-jiggled control tooth. Tooth mobility measurements were recorded on days 0, 30, 60, 90. A plaque control regimen was maintained until the end of the experiment (day 90). On day 90, biopsies including P3 and 3P were harvested. The dogs representing group B, were divided into 2 subgroups of 5 each, group BI and group BII. On day 0, a 4-month period of experimental periodontal tissue breakdown was initiated by placing cotton floss ligatures submarginally around the mandibular fourth premolars (4P4) in group BI and around the mandibular third premolars GP3) in group BII. All ligatures were exchanged, replaced 1x every month, and on day 120 permanently removed. On the same day, biopsies included 4P4 were harvested. Following supragingival debridement 3P3 were allowed to accumulate plaque until the end of the study (day 225). On this occasion, biopsies including 3P3 were harvested. The results of the histological measurements revealed that in the most coronal portion of the periodontal ligament of teeth exhibiting increasing mobility, there was an increased width, a reduced % tissue volume of collagen, and an increased volume of vascular structures and leukocytes. Furthermore, the number of osteoclasts bordering this portion of the alveolar bone was increased and the number of collagen fibers inserting into the root cementum and into the alveolar bone was reduced. It was also demonstrated that in teeth with normal mobility, the position of the gingival ICT failed to influence the composition of the tissue within the coronal portion of the periodontal ligament.