Abstract
It has been established for decades that bacteria play an important role in the etiology of periodontal disease. Recently many electron microscopic studies on the advanced periodontal disease showed the presence of bacteria within the periodontal tissue. The present investigation was carried out in order to determine the morphological changes in the periodontal pocket area three dimensionally, and to clarify the inter-relationship between histological changes and bacteria.
5 teeth with a portion of gingivae were obtained from 3 patients with advanced periodontitis (pocket depth 7-12 mm). Before extraction, each root surface was notched with 1/2 # round bur at the height of gingival margin. The teeth with a portion of gingivae were then removed carefully. The extracted teeth and attached gingivae processed for a scanning electron microscopy.
Attached plaque consisted mainly of cocci and rods was observed on the root surface corresponding to the area of epithelial desquamation. These bacteria had attached to the resorption bays of the root surface. Large accumulation of rods were seen at the area of epithelial desquamation on the pocket wall. Enlargement of intercellular space in junctional epithelium was observed on a split specimen which showed large accumlation of spirochetes within connective tissue. These findings suggested a possibility of bacterial invasion into the inflamed periodontal tissue.
