HISTOLOGY NEAR PERIODONTITIS OSTEOCLASTS

HISTOLOGIC EVALUATION OF PERIODONTAL TISSUES generally has included on ly areas adjacent to the gingival crevice, without knowledge or quanti tation of alveolar crest osteoclastic (periodontitis) activity and inf iltrate. The purpose of this study was to use human autopsy material t o quantitate collagen and cell types adjacent to presumed periodontiti s activity and quiescence, each in the same individual. Thirteen subje cts contributed 4 sites each, 2 exhibiting alveolar crest periosteal o steoclasts in resorption lacunae/periodontitis activity (OC/PA) and 2 with no osteoclasts or resorption lacunae/periodontal quiescence (NOC/ PQ). Tissue and cell morphotypes were quantitated by 2 evaluators at 1 00 intersects in 0.06 mm(2) fields progressing from the alveolar crest toward the gingival crevice. Cell morphotypes/tissue components were compared between groups and fields using a general linear model with r epeated measures. OC/PA fields adjacent to the alveolar crest containe d significantly more intersects with macrophage-like cells (10.7 +/- 1 .1 versus 5.3 +/- 0.6%, P = 0.0003), lymphocytes (4.6 +/- 1.1 versus 0 .7 +/- 0.2%, P = 0.0013), plasma cells (13.3 +/- 2.7 versus 2.1 +/- 0. 6%, P = 0.0004), and less with collagen (48.9 +/- 3.5 versus 75.0 +/- 2.0%, P = 0.0001) than NOC/PQ fields. Numbers of lymphocytes and plasm a cells increased (P = 0.0006 and P = 0.0002, respectively), and fibro blasts and collagen decreased (P = 0.0024 and P = 0.0001, respectively ) in fields up to 1 mm closer to the gingival crevice. However, appare nt osteoclastic activity in periodontitis subjects is associated with a significant inflammatory cell infiltrate, especially macrophages and plasma cells.