OBSERVATIONS OF ROOT SURFACES FROM PATIENTS WITH EARLY-ONSET PERIODONTITIS AND LEUKOCYTE ADHESION DEFICIENCY

The purpose of this investigation was to report observations of the ro ot surfaces of teeth from 2 siblings with leukocyte adhesion deficienc y (LAD). In previous publications, the clinical, radiographic and immu nologic findings in the family were presented. 38 permanent teeth from the 2 siblings were prepared for microscopic examination, 11 for ligh t microscopy (LM), and 27 for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In a ddition, 8 healthy teeth obtained from 2 patients requiring extraction s for orthodontic treatment served as controls. LM observations on hea lthy teeth revealed cementum with normal structural appearance which e xhibited a mosaic or mogul-like pattern with SEM. In LAD specimens, ce mentum apical to the dentogingival junction exhibited resorption lacun ae and areas of poor structural definition characterized by aplasia an d hypoplasia (hypomineralization). Areas of hypoplasia presented as di stinct irregular surfaces with a pebbly or globular-like appearance. A lteration in cementum formation and maturation may play a role in the etiology of early-onset periodontitis.