CLINICAL, MICROBIOLOGICAL AND HOST-DEFENSE PARAMETERS ASSOCIATED WITHA CASE OF LOCALIZED PREPUBERTAL PERIODONTITIS

A 4-year-old Japanese boy was referred to Osaka University Dental Hosp ital because of severe mobility and pain of the right lower primary ca nine. The canine had severe bone loss and a pocket depth exceeding 5-6 mm. The left lower canine showed slight mobility and moderate alveola r bone loss. The other primary teeth showed no pathogenic findings. Th e subgingival microflora from the right lower canine was dominated by gram-negative rods, especially capnocytophaga and fusobacterium, while actinomyces sp. were the most common gram-positive bacteria. While ne utrophil functions of the patient were within the normal ranges of hea lthy subjects, some lymphocyte functions such as IL-2 production and I gG and IgM syntheses were lower in the patient. 7 months after the ext raction of the right lower primary canine, the patient complained of p ain around the right lower primary lateral incisor. In 3-4 weeks, the alveolar bone was lost rapidly and mobility of the lower anterior teet h increased significantly. The primary lateral incisor was extracted a nd the other primary teeth were treated by scaling and systemic and lo cal administration of antibiotics. After treatment, the lower anterior teeth became less mobile and the gram-positive cocci predominated.